A commitment to pro bono representation is part of the DNA of Robinson+Cole. We believe we have an obligation to ensure equal access to justice and to serve the many communities in which we practice.  The firm assists individuals, small businesses, and non-profit organizations that could otherwise not afford legal representation achieve their goals, remedy injustice and strengthen our communities.

Our lawyers are actively engaged in addressing racial and gender inequality, assisting immigrants and refugees, assisting underrepresented and marginalized members of our communities, assisting with permitting and construction projects on behalf of non-profits, representing survivors of domestic violence, and increasing access to health care, benefits and education.

Robinson+Cole has a notable history of pro bono service, including years of leadership roles in legal services organizations. In 1914, Thomas Hewes, an associate at what was then Robinson, Robinson & Cole, began working with the Charity Organization Society, which organized legal aid committees nationwide. In the following years, he handled hundreds of pro bono cases and developed the Connecticut Plan for Legal Aid, which led to the establishment of the Hartford Municipal Legal Aid Bureau.

Today, Robinson+Cole lawyers continue to follow his example by providing access to the justice system for some of our most vulnerable populations and neediest charitable organizations. Our pro bono volunteers are active in each of the communities in which we practice.

As our firm has grown in size and geographic reach, so has the profile and breadth of our pro bono work. Working with community organizations, government officials, and nonprofit organizations, our lawyers have successfully worked to improve the quality of life for countless individuals and their families.

Our relationship with our many pro bono partners is symbiotic, and our lawyers have been the primary beneficiaries. Pro bono work provides our attorneys valuable legal experience and a tremendous sense of personal satisfaction.  By taking lead roles on matters under the supervision of senior lawyers, junior lawyers act as primary contacts for clients early in their careers.

Robinson+Cole and its lawyers are often recognized for their outstanding pro bono contributions, earning accolades from the state bar, professional associations, legal services organizations, clients, and legal publications. Many of our lawyers hold board positions on legal services organizations and are members of state and bar pro bono committees.

Our firm takes its commitment to pro bono seriously. We are an annual participant in the Pro Bono Institute’s Pro Bono Challenge, striving to dedicate at least three percent of our firm’s total billable hours to pro bono work. In addition, Robinson+Cole has a close and longstanding relationship with the Pro Bono Partnership (PBP), which offers business and transactional legal services to nonprofits. Beyond the volunteer legal services our attorneys provide to PBP clients, Robinson+Cole also houses the PBP’s Connecticut program in our Hartford office.

Our Pro Bono Committee consists of partners, counsel, and associates from various practice areas across all offices of our firm. The Committee promotes pro bono opportunities and encourages pro bono participation across our offices.