pro bono
adjective
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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
Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 17 Dec. 2025
Greg Craig, who was White House counsel under former President Barack Obama and on former President Bill Clinton’s impeachment defense team, is working pro bono on the National Trust’s behalf.
—Christian Datoc, The Washington Examiner, 12 Dec. 2025
Detainees also must be given a list of pro bono attorneys in English and Spanish upon arrival at the facility, along with interpreter services if needed.
—Todd Feurer, CBS News, 10 Dec. 2025
Provide a list of pro bono immigration lawyers in English and Spanish, along with interpreter services when needed.
—Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pro bono
Cite this Entry
“Pro bono.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pro%20bono. Accessed 23 Dec. 2025.
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