The Benefits of Recommitting to Pro Bono
| Publication year | 2019 |
| Author | Christian G. Andreu-von Euw and Mark Zebrowski |
Christian G. Andreu-von Euw and Mark Zebrowski
Christian Andreu-von Euw focuses his practice on intellectual property and commercial litigation with an emphasis on patent and trade secrets litigation. He previously worked as an electrical engineer, and he now represents electronics, biotechnology, and software companies in state and federal courts and before other tribunals.
Mark Zebrowski is a commercial litigation partner in the San Diego office of Morrison & Foerster LLP. He is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates and has been recommended by Legal 500 US and Best Lawyers in America.
While most people set resolutions in January, there is no better time than August to readjust your yearly goals. That is especially the case for pro bono. Our state bar "urges" us to devote fifty hours a year to pro bono work,2 and many lawyers do that and more. Others have every intention of giving back to their communities through pro bono, but the challenges to doing so get in the way.
We write to offer two perspectives designed to encourage you and your colleagues to make a renewed commitment to pro bono. Pro bono work can be personally fulfilling, and, as Mark Zebrowski describes, a tradition of pro bono can also strengthen a firm. Christian Andreu-von Euw describes how pro bono provides enriching career development opportunities.
Pro bono work is one of Morrison & Foerster's core values, and lawyers in our offices around the world live out that tradition every day. Each of our offices has made a commitment to pro bono, which in 2018 resulted in providing over 78,000 hours of free legal services.
There are many reasons for our strong commitment to pro bono work. First, it is the right thing to do. There are many people in our communities who cannot afford counsel and thus are left to tackle legal issues alone. This not only affects their chances to achieve a positive outcome, but also puts a tremendous strain on our judicial system, which was not designed for pro se litigants. Second, it is our duty in exchange for the privilege we have to practice law in our state and our country. As lawyers, we have a monopoly on the practice of law; not everyone can be a legal advocate. Third, pro bono allows us to use our skills and training in areas in which we have personal interests, such as the environment, youth, education, poverty, and the like. Fourth, it gives us the opportunity to...
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