pro bono
adjective
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In Latin, pro bono publico means "for the public good;" in English we generally shorten the phrase to pro bono. Donating free legal help to those who need it has long been a practice of American law firms; the American Bar Association actually recommends that all lawyers donate 50 hours a year. Pro bono work is sometimes donated by nonlegal firms as well. For example, an advertising firm might produce a 60-second video for an environmental or educational organization, or a strategic-planning firm might prepare a start-up plan for a charity that funds shelters for battered women.
Examples of pro bono in a Sentence
Thomas Doherty, HollywoodReporter, 14 June 2025
My firm offers a mobile legal helpline staffed by pro bono attorneys who can take client inquiries regardless of where they are physically located.
—Jeffrey D. Harvey, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 June 2025
At least seven other firms entered agreements with Trump to provide tens of millions of dollars in pro bono work, despite there being no executive orders issued against them.
—Ella Lee, The Hill, 1 June 2025
And instead of doing pro bono work for Trump, cowardly law firms should be defending those who believe in the rule of law.
—Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for pro bono
Cite this Entry
“Pro bono.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pro%20bono. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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