Pro Bono Hours Qualifier Calculator
Determine whether an attorney or law firm meets pro bono hour thresholds recommended by bar associations and legal aid standards, and calculate the percentage of billable hours devoted to pro bono work.
Formulas Used
Per-Attorney Pro Bono Hours:
Pro Bono Hours per Attorney = Total Pro Bono Hours ÷ Number of Attorneys
Pro Bono % of Billable Hours:
PB% (Billable) = (Pro Bono Hours per Attorney ÷ Billable Hours per Attorney) × 100
Pro Bono % of Total Hours:
PB% (Total) = (Pro Bono Hours per Attorney ÷ (Billable + Pro Bono Hours per Attorney)) × 100
Surplus / Deficit:
Gap = Pro Bono Hours per Attorney − Threshold Hours
Positive = surplus; Negative = hours still needed.
LSC 3% Standard Threshold:
Required Hours = Billable Hours per Attorney × 0.03
Estimated Monetary Value:
Value = Total Pro Bono Hours × Attorney Hourly Rate
Firm-Wide Threshold:
Firm Threshold = Per-Attorney Threshold × Number of Attorneys
Assumptions & References
- ABA Model Rule 6.1 recommends every lawyer provide at least 50 hours of pro bono legal services per year, with a substantial majority to persons of limited means or organizations serving them. (ABA Rule 6.1)
- LSC Grantee Standard: Legal Services Corporation encourages grantee attorneys to devote at least 3% of billable hours to pro bono matters. (lsc.gov)
- Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge (Pro Bono Institute): Large law firms pledge a minimum of 60 hours per attorney per year. (probonoinst.org)
- Pro bono hours include services rendered without fee or at a substantially reduced fee to qualifying individuals or nonprofit organizations.
- Billable hours are assumed to represent hours billed to paying clients and do not include administrative, training, or non-billable firm time.
- Monetary value is an estimate based on the attorney's standard hourly rate and is used for reporting and recognition purposes only.
- State bar requirements vary; consult your specific state bar's rules and pro bono reporting obligations.
- This calculator is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.