Pro bono publico definition
Pro bono publico. —which literally means “for the public good”—is at once a narrow duty and a broad aspiration. The narrow duty is codified in the American Bar Association’s Model Rules of Professional Conduct, which calls for “[e]very lawyer…to provide legal services to those unable to pay.”1 The broad aspiration envisions private legal practice as a vehicle for advancing the public good (Katzmann 1995)—a notion rooted in a core ideal of legal professionalism (Scheingold & Sarat 2004:11). Efforts to fuse private practice and the public good produce different approaches and ideologies across practice sites (Granfield 2007). Some of them reinforce the conventional definition of pro bono, while others assert a distinct public role for private lawyers. The recent literature on pro bono has focused primarily on the provision of pro bono services by big firms (Cummings 2004; see also Boutcher 2009; Fuchs Epstein 2002), where lawyers fulfill their professional duty by taking a break from billable work to provide free legal services to persons of limited means or organizations that advocate for deserving causes
Pro bono publico means providing or assisting to provide quality legal services in order to enhance access to justice for persons of limited means; charitable, religious, civic, community, governmental and educational organizations in matters that are designed primarily to address the legal needs of persons with limited means; or individuals, groups or organizations seeking to secure or protect civil rights, civil liberties or public rights.
Pro bono publico which means, “for the good of the public.” And, yes, as the American Bar Association has made clear by enacting Model Rule 6.1 which calls upon every licensed attorney to aspire to perform 50 or more hours of pro bono legal service every year, it is indeed for the good of the public that lawyers should pitch in to provide free representation to those for whom the courthouse doors would otherwise be closed.
More Definitions of Pro bono publico
Pro bono publico means “for the good of the public.” Throughout this report, we use the shortened phrase, “pro bono.”
Pro bono publico also “Pro Bono” means providing or assisting to provide quality legal services in order to enhance access to justice for persons of limited means; charitable, religious, civic, community, governmental and educational organizations in matters that are designed primarily to address the legal needs of persons with limited means; or individuals, groups or organizations seeking to secure or protect civil rights, civil liberties, or public rights. Pro Bono Publico services must be provided under the supervision of an attorney, unless otherwise authorized by rule, regulation, or law.