: being, involving, or doing professional and especially legal work donated especially for the public good
pro bono work
pro bono adverb

Did you know?

In Latin, pro bono publico means "for the public good;" in English we generally shorten the phrase to pro bono. Donating free legal help to those who need it has long been a practice of American law firms; the American Bar Association actually recommends that all lawyers donate 50 hours a year. Pro bono work is sometimes donated by nonlegal firms as well. For example, an advertising firm might produce a 60-second video for an environmental or educational organization, or a strategic-planning firm might prepare a start-up plan for a charity that funds shelters for battered women.

Examples of pro bono in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Arnold & Porter, a Washington law firm now representing Lisa Afolayan pro bono, has appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Ryan J. Foley, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2025 The Trump administration has rolled out several actions that law firms have argued are designed to have a chilling effect, particularly on those who do pro bono work on issues that might run afoul of the White House. Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill, 9 June 2025 The White House said the nine firms it's settled with agreed to provide about $1 billion in pro bono services in order to curtail investigations into their hiring practices and maintain access to federal buildings. Carrie Johnson, NPR, 31 May 2025 Finally, nothing beats real-world experience, so while studying, try to break into product management by finding pro bono work at non-profits, or offer your services to a family member, work acquaintance, or college friend building a new product or business. Rachel Wells, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for pro bono

Word History

Etymology

Latin pro bono publico for the public good

First Known Use

1966, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pro bono was in 1966

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Cite this Entry

“Pro bono.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pro%20bono. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

Legal Definition

pro bono

adverb or adjective
ˌprō-ˈbō-nō
: being, involving, or doing legal work donated especially for the public good
Etymology

Latin pro bono publico for the public good

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