To get started, conduct an internal assessment of the resources that your firm is able to invest in pro bono service. We recommend starting with 1% of working hours. That typically amounts to just 20 hours per employee per year. It’s up to the firm to decide how many staff get involved, whether it makes sense for just one staff member or the entire office. Many firms find that they are able to do more than 1%, or 1+, especially if they are proactive about how these services can be used it as tool to address some of the firm’s core goals.
1 Assess
TAKE STOCK OF RESOURCES
Firm assessment
Stakeholder meeting Managing pro bono work doesn’t mean you have to start from scratch even if your office is just starting out. Your firm’s existing project management structure can provide the framework to organize and set expectations for pro bono projects. The management of pro bono projects should be fundamentally the same as that for paid clients, including regular invoicing. By following a few key steps, pro bono work can be integrated into your firm’s practice.
Assemble the principals and key decision-makers to determine the firm’s goals and values, and how this will impact its commitment to pro bono work. Often times, a firm’s values will determine which project types they pursue. For example, Anne Fougeron’s personal interest in women’s health led to a 20-plus year pro bono partnership between Fougeron Architecture and Bay Area Planned Parenthood.
Areas to grow Pro bono work offers an opportunity to explore a heretoforeunexplored sector of your profession. Firms with expertise in highend residential can branch out into daycare facilities or build an emergency shelter at a local park. Outside of the constraints of traditional practice, there can be both the opportunity for greater creative freedom and new project types.
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