Aerial view of people bringing food and supplies to help in a crisis

Courage. Compassion. Commitment.

DLA Piper’s pro bono mission is to pursue justice in our communities and around the world by advancing gender and racial equality, advocating for children, and combating hunger.

In 2023, we provided over 127,000 hours of pro bono and community engagement in North America. While much of our work involves advising individuals who otherwise could not afford a lawyer, we also represent nonprofits and small businesses in underserved communities.

Pro bono is a professional obligation for US lawyers; it benefits our firm and communities, strengthens our sustainability and diversity and inclusion efforts, and offers our lawyers new perspectives. We believe in a collaborative approach to pro bono, and often work alongside firm clients, legal service providers, and others to broaden the impact of our pro bono efforts.

Our pro bono team cultivates DLA Piper's strategic thinking on pro bono, including the vision for DLA Piper's US program, which encompasses more than 1,400 lawyers.

Lisa Dewey, Pro Bono Partner

Teaming with clients

Collaborating with our clients is an integral part of our commitment to pro bono, and it provides us the opportunity to build and grow long-term relationships while simultaneously giving to our communities.

To learn more, view PDF

Krantz Fellowship

Through the Krantz Fellowship, DLA Piper annually selects two new associates to spend their first year at the firm working exclusively on pro bono matters. The firm created the fellowship in honor of Sheldon Krantz, a former partner and founding director of New Perimeter.

Meet the latest Fellows→

Learn more about the program here:

New Perimeter

Our global pro bono Initiative

New Perimeter provides long-term pro bono legal assistance in under-served regions around the world to support access to justice, social and economic development, and sound legal institutions, with an overarching focus on women's advancement.

Visit our New Perimeter website

Pro Bono Bulletin

This issue of our Pro Bono Bulletin highlights the firm’s extraordinary pro bono work and celebrates our shared commitment to service and justice.

Read the latest Bulletin

Areas of focus

Promoting access to justice

According to the 2022 Legal Services Corporation’s Justice Gap Study, “low-income Americans do not get any or enough legal help for 92% of their substantial civil legal problems.” Our aim is to be innovative and collaborative in our efforts to expand access to justice. DLA Piper is working alongside our clients, legal aid lawyers, academics and leaders to assist people unable to afford or access legal help.

Advancing gender and racial equality

We advance voting rights for tribal communities; represent women and girls, as well as members of the LGBTQ+ community seeking asylum because of gender-based persecution; and promote second chances for communities of color disproportionately represented in the criminal justice system. Our pro bono team works closely with our Diversity & Inclusion teams to ensure that our efforts are aligned.

Advocating for children

We represent children in the juvenile justice system and in immigration proceedings, advocate for children with special needs, ensure that families receive child support, work to end forced child marriage and assist students who have been excessively disciplined. We also litigate on behalf of children with disabilities, children in foster care and children facing extreme sentences.

Combating hunger

For more than 30 years, DLA Piper has been active in hunger relief at the local, national and international levels. We represent food banks across the country as well as Feeding America, the largest domestic hunger relief organization in the United States, and The Global FoodBanking Network, which we helped create more than fifteen years ago through New Perimeter.

Supporting survivors of gender-based violence

Each year, DLA Piper devotes thousands of hours to combatting gender-based violence and supporting its survivors. DLA Piper fights this violence through helping domestic violence shelters and nonprofits, individual representation and change to laws and legislation.

Serving vulnerable immigrants

DLA Piper has a longstanding commitment to serving refugees and immigrants, with a particular focus on survivors of violence and children. The firm is responsive to world events that push and pull displaced people to the United States, and employs a client-centered, trauma-informed approach to serving our new community members in their immigration needs. DLA Piper approaches this work through individual representation, legal education, and change to immigration laws and procedures.

Helping nonprofits and small businesses

DLA Piper counsels nonprofit organizations, small businesses and social enterprises. We help these clients navigate complex corporate, employment, finance, intellectual property, real estate, and tax matters. Our work includes trainings, education, and participation in clinics sponsored by charitable legal service providers. In 2019, the American Bar Association’s Business Law Section awarded the firm its National Public Service Award.

Serving veterans

We are committed to serving veterans and active-duty military personnel with legal issues such as family law, driver’s license revocations and record clearance. We also assist veterans with applications for discharge upgrades and benefits. We are proud to manage on-site legal clinics for veterans at US Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals in cities across the country.