The Pro Pro Bono Firm

When I started as a summer associate at Weil, I couldn’t help but notice that virtually every office that I went into had interestingly shaped, crystal desk statues. My curiosity piqued, I saw that the statues had “Pro Bono Award” etched into the glass. Apparently, this award was given to lawyers who had participated in a significant amount of pro bono hours.  The ubiquity of these statues was one of my first clues of Weil’s commitment to pro bono.

As the summer went on, multiple pro bono opportunities came up. Happy to get involved, I joined to help out with a not-for-profit museum. Over the course of this assignment – which had the side perks of taking a museum tour and meeting members of the Board – I came to learn that Weil, free of charge, handled all the legal issues that the museum dealt with.

Unique from many of its peers, Weil allows its summer associates to spend two weeks at a pro bono externship. Excited by this opportunity, I volunteered at an organization dedicated to helping individuals with housing issues. Often, the client required sophisticated legal guidance and would not have been able to afford representation otherwise. This externship was an amazing experience where I was able to make a meaningful contribution from the first day. At one point, I was even asked by a housing court judge to share my opinion on the case!

Whether it is helping with the arts or young entrepreneurs succeed or advocating for human rights or criminal justice (among many other causes), Weil’s clear values permeate everything the firm does. This environment is just one more reason why I am incredibly grateful and excited to be a summer associate here.