pro bono

adjective \ ˌprō-ˈbō-(ˌ)nō \

|Updated on: 6 Jul 2018

Editor's Note: Did You Know?

Definition of pro bono

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

pro bono work

—

pro bono

adverb

See pro bono defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of pro bono from the Web

And McKinsey has undeniably been a force for good, through its pro bono work and by helping many organizations become more efficient engines of economic growth.

— New York Times, "How McKinsey Lost Its Way in South Africa," 26 June 2018
On Thursday, MyHeritage offered 5,000 testing kits as an extension of their pro bono initiative to reunite adoptees with their biological families.

— john moore, National Geographic, "Could DNA Testing Reunite Immigrant Families? Get the Facts.," 25 June 2018
Kids In Need of Defense (KIND), which provides pro bono attorneys to represent children in immigration cases, receives donations here.

— cady drell, Marie Claire, "What Happens Now for Immigrant Kids Separated From Their Families? Here’s What We Know," 22 June 2018
Alfonso Mercado, an assistant professor of psychological science at the University of Texas–Rio Grande Valley, studies the health of migrant families, and has done pro bono work at a 5,000-bed family detention center in Dilley, Tex.

— jamie ducharme, Time, "Separating Kids From Parents Can Cause Psychological Harm. But Experts Say Detaining Them Together Isn't Much Better," 21 June 2018
No one asked him to fix the wall again this spring; this is what lawyers call pro bono work, undertaken without charge.

— robert weisman, BostonGlobe.com, "Non-profit aims to get girls in the game," 28 May 2018
In the case of the animal campus, designer HNTB and Grand Construction have done millions in pro bono work for private supporters — work the city would otherwise have to pay for, Schulte said.

— bill turque, kansascity, "Stylish digs for shelter pets? KC Council approves funds for new animal care 'campus'," 6 Apr. 2018
Conte did his legal work pro bono, his family revealed earlier this week after the newspaper Il manifesto wrote about Conte’s role.

— luca tancredi barone, Science | AAAS, "Italy’s new prime minister defended discredited stem cell therapy," 24 May 2018
Hogan Lovells, which has 25 lawyers working the case on a pro bono basis, has billed $1.7 million in hours to date.

— author: david gelles, Anchorage Daily News, "Patagonia v. Trump: Inside a battle over public lands," 6 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pro bono.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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.

Origin and Etymology of pro bono

Latin pro bono publico for the public good

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1966

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

Other Legal Terms

actionable, alienable, carceral, chattel, complicity, decedent, larceny, malfeasance, modus operandi

Financial Definition of PRO BONO

pro bono

adjective

What It Is

Pro bono refers to any work or service that someone provides free of charge for the common good.

How It Works

From the Latin phrase "pro bono publico" meaning "for the public good," the motivation behind pro bono work is to benefit society as opposed to making money. Pro bono work often refers to legal services offered without taking a fee. In countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom, it is recommended by professional law associations that legal practitioners volunteer a certain number of hours for pro bono service each year. Although pro bono work is most often associated with legal services, it has become common for members of other professions such as medicine and consulting, to extend themselves in a similar manner for the benefit of those less fortunate.

To illustrate the nature of pro bono work, suppose an attorney provides some legal service to low-income families in his community free of charge. The unpaid work done for these families would be considered to be pro bono work, because the attorney is providing his services solely for the benefit of the less fortunate in the community.

Why It Matters

The altruistic nature of pro bono work can be thought of as more important that the actual work. Attorneys, for instance who engage in pro bono work donate their time and expertise in order to help improve the lives of others in their community.

Source: Investing Answers