Founded in a spirit of personal and professional responsibility, compassion for the needs of others, and dedication to improving the communities in which we live and work, Cleary Gottlieb is fully committed to the duties of good global citizenship.

We believe pro bono work should be a mindful choice, one that expresses both personal and collective interests. Rather than make pro bono work mandatory at Cleary, we fully support the voluntary efforts of all of our lawyers and professional staff.

Cleary employs a global team of five full-time pro bono attorneys dedicated to developing, strengthening, and managing the firm’s award-winning pro bono practice, including specialists in the transactional, litigation, and immigration sectors.

Each year, Cleary lawyers provide tens of thousands of hours worldwide to pro bono legal counsel and public service efforts.

The firm also offers the one-year Cleary Gottlieb Fellowship Program, through which first-year associates based in New York may pursue placements at legal services organizations or nonprofits in an effort to support the delivery of critically needed legal work within our communities. Learn more.

Our New York and London offices also host community service programs that promote leadership and the pursuit of higher education, while bridging the gap between our lawyers and young people in our communities. Learn more.

Notable Pro Bono Projects

Our deep relationships with numerous public interest organizations open doors to a range of pro bono opportunities for all of our lawyers. Among the many recent pro bono matters handled by the firm, Cleary lawyers have focused on:

  • Humanitarian Immigration Relief
    • Assisting organizations in representing and supporting individuals and families seeking humanitarian immigration relief
    • Mobilizing to assist displaced persons in crisis
  • Small Business & Nonprofit Support
    • Supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs through clinics in partnership with the City Bar Justice Center, the DC Bar Pro Bono Center, NYPACE, the San Francisco Bar Association, Start Small Think Big, Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, and Volunteers of Legal Service
    • Regularly assisting low-income entrepreneurs with a range of corporate and transactional legal issues at all stages of development, from start-up through growth and beyond
    • Assisting community-focused nonprofits with formation, securing tax-exempt status, governance matters and compliance questions
    • Partnering with nonprofits to form and launch social impact funds to improve living conditions around the world
  • Supporting Veterans
    • Assisting veterans with obtaining healthcare, education and other government-sponsored benefits and applying for discharge upgrades, including in partnership with the City Bar Justice Center, the Veteran Advocacy Project and the National Veterans Legal Services Program
  • Criminal Justice & Reform
    • Engaging in impact litigation related to policing practices and policy reform
    • Litigating Section 1983 claims on behalf of clients who allege violations of their civil rights by law enforcement
    • Researching and supporting advocacy for criminal justice policy reform
    • Assisting individuals with criminal appeals, sentencing reductions, record sealing and related forms of post-conviction relief
  • Civil Rights & Civil Liberties
    • Ensuring tenants have access to legal representation and remain in housing, including via our partnerships with the DC Bar Pro Bono Center, the Legal Aid Society, Mobilization for Justice and Toynbee Hall
    • Promoting voting rights, including through conducting exit polls and participating in nonpartisan Election Protection activities
    • Supporting LGBTQ+ rights organizations
  • Human Rights & Policy
    • Pursuing a broad international human rights practice focusing on the rights of women and girls, individuals with criminal convictions, journalists, LGBTQ+ people, political dissidents, and more
    • Representing several individuals on death row in Africa in collaboration with Reprieve and the Cornell Center on the Death Penalty Worldwide
    • Litigating on behalf of children and families seeking to enforce the right to a free and appropriate public education
    • Conducting research on domestic policy issues, including voting efforts, maternal and reproductive healthcare, and more
    • Assisting environmental nonprofits with a range of issues, including transactional and compliance support

If You Need a Pro Bono Lawyer

Cleary Gottlieb does not accept direct requests for pro bono representation. Pro bono clients are referred by legal services organizations. If you are in need of pro bono legal representation, you may be able to obtain help from one of these resources:

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