Pro Bono Time

One really exciting thing for many new attorneys is the opportunity to work on “pro bono” cases, which are cases for which the firm receives no money but presumably gains some reputational points by giving back to the community. Some firms will even give you billable hour credit for any time billed to pro bono matters. One time I spent a whole day reading and re-reading a declaration I wrote for an immigration case. It was three pages long. But I read it again and again. I read it aloud in my office while I paced around. I recorded it into my phone. I listened to it on my commute. I recited it to my roommate when I got home. Turns out there is usually a cap on the pro bono hours credit.