Skadden attorneys, plus summer associates, recorded nearly 203,000 total hours of pro bono legal work in 2010, the second straight year the total has exceeded 200,000. Pro bono hours per attorney increased slightly above our all-time high of more than 100 hours per attorney in 2009.
Examples of our pro bono work include assisting individuals seeking asylum in the United States, handling wrongful imprisonment and prosecution cases, advising on housing disputes and providing legal advice to nonprofit organizations. As a charter signatory to the Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge, Skadden commits to devoting time equivalent to at least 3 percent of billable hours to pro bono matters. In 2010, our actual percentage was 7.8. To read Skadden's recent Pro Bono Report detailing achievements in this important practice area, click here.