The crises of the past year, including the unjust war in Ukraine and the ongoing persecution of countless individuals around the world, have strengthened the resolve of those of us committed to using our legal skills to protect the most vulnerable in society. At Weil, we have stayed the course, remaining steadfast in our commitment to assisting those in exigent circumstances without the resources to defend themselves. Pro bono service is part of Weil’s DNA. Fully embracing our ethical obligation as lawyers, we have a long history of providing our pro bono clients with the world-class advocacy that only a firm like Weil can offer.

Our pro bono work stretches far beyond the humanitarian crises at the top of the news, encompassing a broad range of significant issues: from criminal justice reform to human trafficking and domestic violence; from civil rights to the environment; and from the protection of women’s reproductive rights

to fair housing laws. The urgency in these areas is as great as ever, and we have focused our resources where we can truly make a difference – both for individual clients and for our pro bono partner organizations.

Among our many pro bono successes in 2022, we helped Afghans who had worked with the U.S. military

and LGBTQ+ refugees from several nations secure asylum. We assisted Ukraine in its efforts to document war crimes perpetrated by invading Russian forces. We championed women’s reproductive rights in North Dakota and fought extreme voting restrictions in Texas. We exonerated a man who spent 26 years in prison for a crime he did not commit and screened thousands of requests for assistance from other prisoners. Weil lawyers secured name changes in identity documents for transgender clients and, in a groundbreaking investigation, helped professional women soccer players address systemic issues of abuse and mistreatment.

Our nonprofit partners have inspired us with their extraordinary dedication to justice. We consider it a great privilege to work alongside them and to help the individuals who turn to them for assistance. These organizations include the Innocence Project, the International Refugee Assistance Project, Immigration Equality, the Brennan Center for Justice, Sanctuary for Families, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Center for Reproductive Rights and Global Citizen.

Our policy at Weil is for all lawyers to do 50 hours or more of pro bono work each year. Weil attorneys

– whose dedication, compassion and talent have made all of this possible – contributed nearly 81,000 hours of pro bono service last year. We consider them “Our Finest Hours,” and we trust you will discover why as you peruse these pages.

Introduction by Miriam Buhl — Pro Bono Counsel

View the 2023 Pro Bono Annual Review

Many Weil attorneys and paralegals dedicated 50 hours or more to pro bono service in 2023.
View the list of 50-Hour Plus Performers.