Pro Bono and community
Our mission and vision: making a difference
BCLP has a special obligation to make our professional skills available on a pro bono basis to address the needs of the underserved and to advocate for the protection of human rights, civil rights and liberties, and public rights.
We also contribute other firm resources to meaningfully engage with the communities local to our offices throughout the world, through community volunteering, support and philanthropic giving, encouraging lawyers and staff throughout our firm to take an active part in these initiatives. To see what we do in each of the local communities where we operate, please visit our office location pages.
PRO BONO
BACKGROUND
BCLP’s pro bono work reflects the diverse and passionate interests of our people. Many of the firm’s pro bono matters originate with specific requests from our lawyers. Our pro bono work can involve assisting individual clients or working on innovative projects and initiatives. In either instance, firm lawyers often find themselves working alongside lawyers from legal services organizations, public interest firms, or clients with whom we partner on pro bono work.
Each year BCLP lawyers and other professionals contribute thousands of hours in hundreds of pro bono matter providing legal representation essential to our clients and their unique legal needs. Currently the firm supports four fellowship programs in the US and one secondment in the UK: the Concordance Academy Fellows Program; the Midwest Innocence Project Fellows Program; the BCLP Legal Aid Chicago Fellowship; the BCLP Atlanta Legal Aid Fellowship; and the BCLP secondment with Reprieve, a human rights charity in the UK.
BCLP stays informed about evolving trends in the world of law firm pro bono. We're a member of the Pro Bono Institute’s Law Firm Pro Bono Project and a proud Charter Signatory to its Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge, as well as a member of the UK Collaborative Plan for Pro Bono.
CURRENT REPORT
Our Pro Bono Report 2023 offers a more in-depth review of notable pro bono work undertaken by the firm in recent years. The report goes beyond the printed page in its description, linking to videos, published stories, and other news sources that help bring to life the work performed and the clients we've helped.
Recent notable headlines
Recent Pro Bono Victory: Tibetan Monk Granted Asylum in the United States
Helping Pride Live on a remarkable journey to opening the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center
MORE ON PRO BONO FROM OUR VOLUNTEERS
What motivates BCLP attorneys and other professionals to do pro bono work? Here’s a sample of their responses.
AWARDS AND ACCOLADES
- Partner Jonathan Potts chosen as 2022 Paul H. Chapman Award recipient by Foundation for Improvement of Justice
- Associate Sasha Riedisser honored by Legal Services of Eastern Missouri for pro bono work at “For The Common Good” awards event
- Partner Bob Hoffman named “Legal Champion” by Missouri Lawyers Media’s 2022 Missouri Lawyers Awards
- Partner Luke Lantta received 2021 Catherine Vandenberg Advocate for Victims of Domestic Violence Award by Atlanta Legal Aid Society
- Partner Charlie Weiss recognized as Distinguished Pro Bono Fellow by American College of Trial Lawyers and appointed to ACTL’s Distinguished Pro Bono Fellows Committee
- Several BCLP attorneys involved in long-running neighborhood stabilization effort, led by Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, that was named award recipient of Mutual of America Financial Group’s 2022 Community Partnership Award
- The Windrush Legal Initiative (where BCLP collaborates with seven other firms and the Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit) shortlisted for a pro bono award in the inaugural Legal 500 ESG awards 2024, the Lawyer awards 2023 and the British Legal awards 2023.
Related Pages
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About BCLP
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Inclusion and Diversity enables the firm to succeed