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PRO BONO

Since our inception, Butler Rubin has encouraged its lawyers to participate in projects that are pro bono publico, or for the public good. Each year, we commit to devoting at least 2% of our billable time to pro bono matters and to getting more partners involved in this work. In fact, we pride ourselves on using our noted litigation expertise to meet the unmet legal needs of the Chicago community and we give full billable hour credit to time spent by our attorneys on pro bono matters.

As one of the few firms its size to sign the Pro Bono Initiative's Statement of Principles, Butler Rubin is proof that no law firm or corporation is too large or too small to make a commitment to the provision of free legal services. Click here to see a Statement of Pro Bono Principles.

Butler Rubin is a leader in representing disenfranchised individuals without access to justice through our pro bono efforts. We championed the rights of the disabled in a landmark pro bono case against the Chicago Transit Authority. And, we regularly work as volunteer attorneys handling political asylum cases for the National Immigration Justice Center (f/k/a Midwest Immigrant and Human Rights Center). In addition, our pro bono efforts under the leadership of Pro Bono Director, James A. Morsch, have included:

• Representing indigent individuals
• Representing death row inmates
• Representing hate crime victims
• Representing new immigrants in a variety of legal matters
• Representing the lawyers of Guantanamo detainees in connection with their attempts to access documents evidencing warrantless surveillance of communications with their clients
• Working with the Public Interest Law Initiative
• Assisting the Lend-A-Hand program
• Working as volunteer attorneys for the Cabrini Green Legal Clinic, Cabrini Connections
• Working as volunteer attorneys for First Defense Legal Aid
• Assisting the Chicago Bar Foundation
• Assisting the United Way
• Butler Rubin has been repeatedly recognized by the Pro Bono Law Initiative of the Public Interest Law Initiative as a member of its Pro Bono Honor Roll. In addition, our pro bono program was featured in a 2003 ABA Journal article on leading pro bono programs for its work on behalf of wrongly convicted death row inmates.

• In June 2010, Butler Rubin was named to the inaugural Public Interest Law Initiative Pro Bono Recognition Roster.  Selection criteria included the percentage of staff participation, a significant increase in the number of pro bono hours from the pervious year, innovative steps to expand the pro bono program and participation in the Chicago Bar Foundation's Leadership Circle.

 Statement of Pro Bono Principles (PDF)