The American Bar Association Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service has announced that nominations are now open for the 2021 Pro Bono Publico Award.

Nominate the pro bono hero or heroes from your community. The Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service welcomes nominees from every race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, age, ability, family status and socioeconomic status in their effort to recognize the accomplishments of richly varied perspectives. The Committee also encourages the nominations of attorneys who are newer to the practice of law to publicize their accomplishments and to inspire others to commit to pro bono participation.

The Committee is currently accepting nominations from the following two categories:

Individuals: Individual attorneys who do not obtain their income delivering legal services to persons of limited means are eligible. (Compensated pro bono coordinators are not eligible.)

Organizations: Small and large law firms, government attorney offices, corporate law departments, law schools and other institutions in the legal profession whose members have collectively made an outstanding contribution toward one or more of the criteria are eligible.

International pro bono work is eligible for nomination, but domestic pro bono work is given priority by the Committee. No more than five awardees will be selected from those who have excelled consistent with the criteria set forth in the nomination application requirements.

Nominations will be accepted through February 28, 2021.

The Committee will select award recipients. All nominators will be notified about the status of the nomination as soon as possible after selections are made.

The 2021 award will be presented during the ABA Annual Meeting in August 2021.

Award Nomination Criteria