Private Lawyers and the Public Interest

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This collection of original essays by leading and emerging scholars examines the history, conditions, organization, and strategies of pro bono lawyering. It traces the rise and impact of the American Bar Association's campaign to hold lawyers accountable for public service and to promote this commitment within law schools. By combining empirical legal research with reflections from practitioners and theorists, the essays interrogate the public service ideals embedded in the legal profession, situating them within broader social, economic, ideological, and normative contexts. The collection pays particular attention to the factors influencing lawyers' engagement in pro bono work and how these views are shaped by the institutional context of their legal practices. It also explores the concept of "public" in public service, comparing pro bono as a method of delivering legal services with alternatives like state funding. Collectively, the essays investigate the evolving role of pro bono in the legal profession and law schools, the relationship between pro bono ideals and practices, the influence of external forces on pro bono work, and the complex nature of legal professionalism as expressed through pro bono efforts.