“It is impossible to overstate the commitment of Arnold & Porter in the fight for racial equity and for equal justice. The firm’s dedication to ensuring the law is used in the services of good is built in its DNA…We are proud to partner with a firm that treats its pro bono clients with the same dignity, respect, and urgency as those who pay a fee.” - Jonathan M. Smith, Washington Lawyer’s Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs

What Pro Bono Means to Us

Pro bono is key to who we are and the reason many of our attorneys make Arnold & Porter their professional home. Our attorneys provided more than 130,000 hours of pro bono work during 2022. From our early days defending the rights of those persecuted during the McCarthy hearings and arguing for a right to counsel in Gideon v. Wainwright, to securing the right to vote in recent elections, we are driven to provide equal access to justice.

We have a long history of taking on matters to redress injustice, before courts and administrative tribunals (including the U.S. Supreme Court), before legislative and regulatory bodies, and in support of nonprofits. Our lawyers around the globe deliver extensive pro bono services that include cutting-edge impact litigation aimed at systemic change, individual representation for people who cannot otherwise afford counsel, regulatory and public policy advocacy, and nonprofit counseling.

The broad spectrum of pro bono work we undertake is driven by our dedication to amplifying the voices of those who might not otherwise be heard.

+130,000
Attorney Pro Bono Hours (2022)

390
Number of Pro Bono Matters Opened (2022)

Recent Notable Victories

• Secured release of wrongfully convicted client after almost 29 years in prison. After an eight-day hearing, the Connecticut Superior Court vacated client’s guilty conviction, based on prosecution’s suppression of numerous pieces of evidence favorable to the client, in violation of Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83.
• Groundbreaking voting rights litigations. Multiple impact litigations challenging racial gerrymandering and other impediments to the right to vote, including a first of its kind victory in which the Pennsylvania Supreme Court struck down the state’s congressional districting map as unconstitutional. The firm also recently litigated voting rights challenges in Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Maryland. Click here for The Washington Post coverage (subscription required).
• Significant wrongful termination win in U.S. Supreme Court for a former veteran requesting a workplace accommodation due to lung damage sustained in Iraq. This victory was the first time a court ruled that state employers do not have sovereign immunity against suits brought under a military anti-discrimination law.
• $14 million judgment for protesters injured by Denver police. Obtained jury verdict in the first trial challenging police misconduct during the 2020 George Floyd protests. Click here for Reuters coverage and here for The New York Times coverage.
• Extensive efforts to protect reproductive rights. 10,000+ hours in 2022 devoted to protecting reproductive rights, including impact litigation, increasing access to medical abortions, advising on the Women’s Health Protection Act, and preserving access to reproductive healthcare providers.
• Precedent-setting settlement with Prince George’s County Board of Education to protect transgender rights. Represented former transgender schoolteacher who suffered years of abuse, harassment, and retaliation. Click here for CNN coverage and here for Associated Press coverage.
• Successfully preserved affordable housing for moderate- and low-income individuals and families. Advised the Washington Housing Conservancy on the acquisition of an apartment community, enabling the nonprofit to continue stabilizing rents for those at risk of displacement in a highly competitive D.C. housing market.