The Jenner & Block name is synonymous with pro bono advocacy.  Our passion for service began with the Firm’s founding Partners Albert E. Jenner, Jr. and Samuel W. Block, who worked on many pro bono cases involving civil and constitutional rights and were widely recognized for their contributions to public service.  In the 1950s, Partners Thomas P. Sullivan, Prentice H. Marshall and Jerold S. Solovy launched the Firm’s pro bono program when, as active members of the Chicago Bar Association’s Defense of Prisoners Committee, they not only represented indigent criminal defendants, but also began recruiting dozens of other Jenner & Block attorneys to the same service.  Our long-standing commitment to public service is a vital part of our culture and who we are as lawyers and people.

How Our Attorneys Get Involved
Our pro bono program offers junior associates significant choice and flexibility.  From day one, we encourage our attorneys to identify matters that interest them and work under the guidance of a partner they choose.  The experience is valuable for attorneys at all levels.  Partners in the Firm find it fulfilling to train and mentor associates who show an interest in pro bono advocacy.

We do not limit the amount of pro bono work our lawyers can assume.  Our attorneys are committed to providing pro bono clients with the same level of professionalism, dedication and service that we provide our corporate clients.  The Firm takes into account all of an associate’s pro bono hours in considering bonus eligibility.

How We Serve Our Pro Bono Clients
The Firm offers pro bono litigation and transactional assistance to organizations and thousands of individuals related to a wide range of legal areas.  From criminal to civil matters, from battles for human rights and civil liberties to death penalty challenges, Jenner & Block attorneys provide legal assistance to those whose voices may not have otherwise been heard in the justice system.

Read what our attorneys have to say about their pro bono work In Their Words.

About Our Pro Bono Committee
Our pro bono program is managed by a dedicated group of attorneys who volunteer their time and experience to this important effort.  Jenner & Block’s Pro Bono Committee consists of four co-chairs who oversee the Firm’s comprehensive program.

• Partner, Julie M. Carpenter

  Co-Chair, Pro Bono Committee

• Partner, Brian J. Fischer

  Co-Chair, Pro Bono Committee

• Partner, Gabriel A. Fuentes
  Co-Chair, Pro Bono Committee
   
• Partner, Andrew J. Thomas
  Co-Chair, Pro Bono Committee
   

The following attorneys are members of the Pro Bono Committee: