Pro bono publico (which translates to “for the public good”) refers to professional work completed voluntarily without payment from professionals such as attorneys and law students. Legal professionals such as lawyers often offer pro bono services.
Small firms and single attorney offices typically take on unpaid cases more readily. Meanwhile, larger firms struggle with how best to balance time commitments between multiple lawyers.
4. They’re an intern
Aspiring lawyers often take part in unpaid internships to gain invaluable industry experience and boost their resumes. With rising educational costs and debt-loads, some interns may take on debt just to afford entry-level work with firms or businesses who do not pay them directly.
But could a law firm ethically bill for an intern’s time? New York’s Committee on Professional Ethics concluded in its March opinion that this could be done; provided their program adheres to applicable labor law regulations.
Although the decision by the committee was based on attorney ethics, many argue that its logic should apply more widely so as to promote fairness and social justice. After all, interns aren’t the only workers unable to afford working without compensation: in addition to debt from student loans and tuition payments, some individuals cannot participate in unpaid internships due to race or ethnicity bias.
