Pro Bono Institute is seeking a Director of its Law Firm Pro Bono Project

Founded in 1996, Pro Bono Institute (PBI) explores and identifies new approaches to, and resources for, the provision of legal services to the poor, disadvantaged, and other individuals or groups unable to secure legal assistance to address critical problems. PBI supports, enhances, and transforms the pro bono efforts of major law firms, in-house legal departments, and public interest organizations in the U.S. and around the world. Rather than providing direct legal services, PBI is a catalyst, administering projects that support, guide, and inspire legal institutions to enhance access to justice.

Building on 30 years of experience, the Law Firm Pro Bono Project® initiative serves as counselor, resource, strategic advisor, trainer, and catalyst, offering expert guidance on law firm pro bono, while exploring new ideas to improve services, promoting experimentation, encouraging self-evaluation, dialogue, and collaboration on how, working together, we can strengthen access to justice through pro bono service.

The Law Firm Pro Bono Project® Initiative

PBI is seeking a Director of its Law Firm Pro Bono Project initiative to lead PBI’s work to support and enhance the pro bono culture and performance of significant law firms in the U.S. and around the world. The goal of the Project is to fully integrate pro bono into the practice, philosophy, and culture of firms so that law firms provide the institutional support, infrastructure, and encouragement essential to fostering a climate supportive of pro bono service and promoting partner and associate participation. 

To achieve this vision, the Project provides a wide range of services to law firms with at least 20 lawyers, including administering the Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge® initiative; providing confidential, individualized consulting services to law firms with respect to their pro bono programs; hosting webinars and other programming, including the PBI Annual Conference; developing empirical research, surveys, publications, and more.

The Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge® Initiative

The Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge® initiative forms a cornerstone of PBI and is centered on the Challenge statement, which is ascribed to by 134 of the world’s most influential law firms.  The Challenge statement embodies a unique, aspirational pro bono standard. Developed by law firm leaders and corporate general counsel in 1995, it articulates a voluntary, single standard for law firms. Challenge signatories publicly acknowledge their institutional, firm-wide commitment to provide pro bono legal services to low-income individuals and nonprofit groups that serve them. The Challenge includes a narrow but thoughtful definition of pro bono that has become the industry standard for large law firms and others, as well as an accountability mechanism and measurement tool through its performance benchmarks and annual reporting requirement. While the Statement has withstood the test of time and has helped spur over 100 million hours of pro bono service since 1995, it is a living document that the Project carefully refines from time to time to remain current and encourage additional progress.

Highlights from PBI’s 2025 Report on the Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge® Initiative

• • 93 million — Total pro bono hours in 2024
  • 108 million — Total pro bono hours since 1995
  • 71% — Pro bono percentage of total billable hours
  • 6 — Average pro bono hours per attorney
  • 6% — Attorney participation
  • 4% — Percentage of pro bono time devoted to those of limited means
  • $425,943 — Average charitable donation per firm

PBI Annual Conference

The PBI Annual Conference is the legal community’s premier pro bono event, attracting more than 250 participants from law firms, legal departments, and public interest organizations from around the world. Sessions cover a wide variety of topics, including new challenges as well as recurring areas of interest for pro bono leaders, trends and innovations, and cutting-edge developments in the fast-changing world of pro bono.  

Director of the PBI Law Firm Pro Bono Project Initiative

Reporting directly to PBI’s President & CEO, Eve Runyon, the Director will be instrumental in shaping the strategic direction of the Law Firm Pro Bono Project initiative by identifying key innovations to expand pro bono and improve access to justice and collaborating with PBI colleagues to advance initiatives that strengthen access to justice.

Responsibilities include:

• Work collaboratively across PBI projects and departments, as well as with external organizations and partners, to support pro bono and enhance access to justice initiatives.
• Help to build and elevate the profile and visibility of PBI and the Law Firm Pro Bono Project initiative, including being integrally involved in storytelling, communications, messaging, stewardship, and representing the Project and PBI at conferences, meetings, and other events.
• Develop a research agenda and oversee the production and publication of scholarship and “off-the-shelf” resources, including reports, articles, blog posts, and a clearinghouse of law firm pro bono materials.
• Oversee and administer the Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge® initiative.
• Design and lead the Project’s annual membership campaign, including crafting a programming plan that delivers value and drives participation throughout the year.
• Plan and execute PBI events, including the PBI Annual Conference (g., content, topic and speaker selection, program schedule, messaging, and logistics) and other programming, meetings, and events in collaboration with colleagues and stakeholders.
• Provide stakeholders with expert, meaningful, and timely consultative services while cultivating substantive relationships.
• Serve as a member of PBI’s senior staff leadership team.
• Support the organization as needed in a small office setting.

The ideal Director will be a creative, energetic, and experienced professional ready to lead the Law Firm Pro Bono Project initiative. The Director should be an entrepreneurial visionary who can see the big picture and who also is able to roll up their sleeves and get things done. The Director should be an expert and strategic leader who understands the modern law firm pro bono landscape.  

Specific requirements:

Background

• A JD is required, with at least 10 years of law practice.
• Minimum of seven (7) years of experience in practice at a law firm with a demonstrated commitment to pro bono, with a minimum of five (5) years in a pro bono management role.

Skills and Accomplishments

• Knowledge of and experience with public interest or legal services organizations.
• Excellent writer, editor, marketer, and speaker, with exceptional attention to detail.
• Ability to collaborate with PBI’s small staff, volunteers and leadership, and a wide range of stakeholders from a variety of diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to administer complex projects that require peer input.
• Ability to recognize areas for growth and develop creative, problem-solving initiatives.
• Capable of exercising discretion when handling sensitive information.
• Understanding and recognition of PBI’s successful past, with a vision for the future that can be adapted to keep up with the times.
• Commitment to advancing organizational standards and priorities in both content and operations.
• Experience setting clear priorities and success in driving a strong, results-oriented agenda that ties back to PBI’s long-term goals and strategy.
• Interested in and informed of relevant legal market trends, issues, sensitivities, and culture.
• Comfort with data and statistical analysis
• Periodic travel required.

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this position is $130,000 - $150,000 depending on candidate qualifications, including job-related knowledge, skills and experience. In addition to offering competitive compensation, PBI offers generous employee benefits including 100% employer-paid health insurance (for individual employee), employer contribution of 3% of annual salary to a 401(k) plan, generous vacation and sick leave, flex-time, and access to a free fitness center on-site.

Other

PBI staff, including the Director, may work remotely for a portion of the workweek. However, the Director is expected to be in-office in Washington, D.C. on a weekly basis currently and as required in the future. There is no relocation support provided for this position.

PBI is located at 1620 I Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006

To apply for the position, please send by email a cover letter, resume, brief, substantive writing sample (between 500 and 1,500 words), and list of references to:

Chris Niebling (he/him)

Operations Manager

jobs@probonoinst.org

Applications by email only. No phone inquiries, please.

Please submit your application by January 30 to be considered in the first round of review. PBI will accept applications until the position is filled.

Please also include in your application from where you learned about this job opportunity.

About Pro Bono Institute

Founded in 1996, the Pro Bono Institute (PBI) is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization. With an unparalleled depth of knowledge, resources and expertise, PBI is the respected resource for all things pro bono. Through our work with law firms, in-house corporate legal departments, and public interest organizations, PBI is the global thought leader in exploring, identifying, evaluating, catalyzing, and taking to scale new approaches to and resources for the provision of legal services to the poor, disadvantaged, and other individuals or groups unable to secure legal assistance to address critical problems. Our rigorous empirical research and analysis; white papers and reports; and advice and support allow us to reach a wide variety of audiences and transform the concept and practice of pro bono. By providing expert consultations and technical assistance, educational programming, and local, national and global pro bono convenings, our goal is to constantly improve and enrich pro bono service. We count among our members, supporters, and partners the most respected law firms and in-house corporate legal departments in the world, as well as the most effective and cutting-edge public interest organizations.

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