Pro Bono at Wilson Sonsini

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati believes in enhancing the communities in which we live and work and supporting access to justice generally by providing pro bono legal services to those in need. 

We also believe in supporting the pursuit of justice and equality by taking on pro bono assignments that help those with limited resources gain access to the legal system.

In practice, this means that our attorneys and staff spend tens of thousands of hours each year representing people and organizations that could otherwise not afford high-quality legal representation. We regularly devote more than three percent of total billable hours to pro bono legal services annually.

Every single hour worked by Wilson Sonsini attorneys on pro bono matters is bonus eligible, with no cap. This is a firm and long-standing commitment to our core values.

For our attorneys, our pro bono practice allows them to serve different kinds of clients, often in areas about which they are passionate. Lawyers in the early stages of their careers can often gain valuable experience while working on behalf of pro bono clients. Staff also regularly contribute to pro bono cases—sometimes in the same way as they do for non-pro bono clients, and sometimes with other areas of their expertise, such as language translation.     

In 2024, Wilson Sonsini attorneys and staff provided nearly 75,000 pro bono hours. Our firm has provided pro bono assistance to approximately 400 nonprofit agencies in fields such as healthcare, education, the arts, and the environment, as well as to numerous individuals in support of civil rights, survivors, and advancing justice and equality.

View Points
Luke A. Liss
Pro Bono Partner
Litigation
Palo Alto

We treat our pro bono clients and paying clients with the same care and dedication, in every part of the firm. This speaks not only to how much we value pro bono, but also how much we value client service and relationships generally. In my view, how firms treat pro bono and pro bono clients is a major ‘tell’ as to their culture generally.

In general, our focus is on results.  One aspect that makes our firm truly unique is the support of the firm to undertake substantive, impactful matters, often with national and international impact.  While our “why” for pro bono work is the impact, we are proud to have been honored with several awards for our pro bono work in the past few years, including:

In addition, several of our attorneys have been recognized for their pro bono service:

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Ashleigh L. Herrin
Associate
Litigation
Wilmington

My pro bono practice primarily focuses on the Court of Chancery’s guardianship petitions. Pro bono work is satisfying to me because as a Delaware attorney, the state has given me an opportunity to practice law there.  It’s my duty to give back to the state and Delawareans in whatever way I can. When it’s using my services, especially those that the state allows me to practice with, that is so meaningful to me.

Selected Pro Bono Matters:

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John P. McGaraghan
Partner
Technology Transactions
Palo Alto

One of Wilson Sonsini’s core values is service, and that’s not only service to clients, but service to our community. I have felt fortunate in my career to be able to serve a variety of pro bono clients in my core area of expertise in intellectual property licensing. I’ve been able bring that expertise to bear to help organizations in work in our communities that I am passionate about supporting, like arts and education.