Biography
Miriam Buhl is Pro Bono Director at Weil, Gotshal & Manges, LLP and has coordinated the Firm’s award-winning worldwide pro bono program since 2005. In 2025, Weil’s 1,100 attorneys performed over 70,000 hours of pro bono work on a wide range of issues including human rights, economic development, corporate governance, criminal justice, and environmental protection. Among other accolades for its pro bono program, the Firm has received the Pro Bono Institute’s Pickering Award and the ABA Pro Bono Publico Award. Miriam has been honored by The Legal Aid Society (Pro Bono Counsel of the Year), the Nonprofit Coordinating Committee (inaugural Public Advocacy Award), Fordham University School of Law (Louis J. Lefkowitz Public Service Award), the Feerick Center For Social Justice and Dispute Resolution (Spirit of Service Award), and the Innocence Project (Advocate for Justice Award). Miriam is a member of the Association of Pro Bono Counsel, the Federal Bar Council Public Service Committee, and the New York City Bar Association Pro Bono & Legal Services Committee.
Prior to joining Weil in 2005, Miriam was state director for the Greater New York Chapter of the March of Dimes, one of the largest nonprofits in the US. Between 1999 to 2004, Miriam was executive director of The New York Women's Foundation. From 1997 to 1999, Miriam was founding director of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York's Public Service Network, a program to link volunteer attorneys with public service organizations. She also served as executive director of the fair housing agency Westchester Residential Opportunities, Inc. from 1993 to 1997 and was staff attorney for The Legal Aid Society’s Civil Division, Brooklyn Neighborhood Office.
Miriam is a graduate of Brown University and Fordham University School of Law. She plays Irish traditional fiddle weekly at a pub in New York’s East Village.
Professional affiliations, memberships, and teaching engagements
- New York City Bar Association, Pro Bono & Legal Services Committee (2006-2008, 2014 – )
- Association of Pro Bono Counsel, member (2006 – )
- Federal Bar Council Public Service Committee (2006 – )
- The Legal Aid Society Pro Bono Advisory Committee (2006 – 2011)
- New York State Bar Association Committee on Legal Aid (2006 – 2012)
- New York City Bar Fund, Board member (2007 – 2012)
- Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York, Board member (2007 – 2014)
- PILnet EU Pro Bono Forum Planning Committee (2007 – 2013)
- Innocence Project, Development Committee (2008 –2020 )
- Columbia University Law School Externship on Pro Bono Program and Design at Columbia University Law School (2008-2016)
- PILnet Pro Bono Council (2008 – 2015 )
- Scherman Foundation, Board member (2009 –2025 )
- Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law Public Service Council (2010 – 2014)
- International Refugee Assistance Project, Board member (2012 –2025 )
- Fordham University Law School Public Service Advisory Council (2017 –2020 )
- Libraries Without Borders, Advisory Council (2019 – )
- Law Firm Anti-Racism Alliance, Reproductive Rights Working Group member (2020 – )
- Volunteer Lawyers for Sports, Advisory Council (2026 – )