Your Career: Put Pro Bono in Your Career Development Plan

Pro bono has been a touchstone for me throughout my career. I have always made it a priority to have at least one pro bono matter on my plate, no matter how busy I am with my billable work. Working on causes about which I care deeply helps me to remember the reasons that I went to law school and became a lawyer in the first place. It helps me stay passionate about the work I do every day.

Having pro bono as part of my career plan has been instrumental in helping me develop as a lawyer. At each stage of my career, from junior associate to partner, pro bono has helped me refine my skills at everything from courtroom presentation and trial strategy to public relations and client management. Whatever level I happened to be at with a particular skill, pro bono has given me the opportunity to stretch to something a bit further beyond my comfort zone. Below I’ve outlined six ways that pro bono has helped my career development, at different stages. While these same skills may not be fundamental to your practice, these examples may help you consider ways that pro bono can help with your own career development.

Learning to Take Ownership of Matters