pro bono
O’Melveny’s commitment to exceptional client service extends to the underrepresented members of society through the firm's vibrant and award-winning pro bono practice. Our pro bono program tackles the critical issues of the day, including immigration, housing, women’s rights, foster care, education, veterans affairs, jail reform, and community building. Our clients—from military veterans to couples seeking marriage equality to nonprofits stitching together a social safety net—are as diverse as the communities we serve. And we continue to challenge ourselves to do more.
Our lawyers have secured legal status for immigrants fleeing persecution in their native countries, protected low-income tenants facing abuse by slumlords, and obtained medical treatment and essential benefits for the disabled, among many other life-changing victories. We regularly take our fights on behalf of the civil rights of traditionally marginalized groups all the way to the Supreme Court. And by providing critical corporate, governance, and business advice, we help community-based charitable entities realize their goals of bringing vital services to our communities.
We invite you to visit our pro bono newsroom and read the pro bono section of our Annual Report to learn more about our recent projects.
Policies
More than 70% of our lawyers participate in pro bono projects and annually devote more than 6% of our total hours to those efforts. To encourage this level of commitment, O’Melveny:
- Gives lawyers full billable credit for every hour recorded on pro bono matters, and pro bono hours may be used to fulfill all Firm billing expectations, including bonus consideration
- Requires new lawyers—regardless of their level—to handle at least one pro bono matter during their first year at the Firm and expects partners to supervise at least one pro bono matter per year
- Encourages all attorneys to perform at least 50 hours of pro bono service each year
- Paves the way to pro bono service for its lawyers through the leadership of a firmwide Partner-in-Charge of Pro Bono, a full-time Managing Counsel for Pro Bono and Public Interest Services, a Pro Bono Counsel, and pro bono leaders in each office
Collaborators
- Alliance for Children’s Rights
- Asian Americans Advancing Justice
- Association of Pro Bono Counsel
- Bet Tzedek
- Brennan Center for Justice
- Bronx Defenders
- Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights Coalition
- Catholic Charities
- Center for Reproductive Rights
- City Bar Justice Center
- Community Legal Services of East Palo Alto
- DC Pro Bono Clinic
- Human Rights First
- Immigration Equality
- Inner City Law Center
- Justice and Diversity Center -- Bar Association of San Francisco
- Kids In Need of Defense
- Lambda Legal
- Lawyers Alliance for New York
- Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
- LCCR Legal Services for Entrepreneurs
- Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles
- Legal Aid Society of New York
- Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund
- NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund
- Public Counsel
- Public Law Center
- Sanctuary For Families
- Western Center on Law & Poverty
- Women for Women International
Contacts
Managing Counsel for Pro Bono and Public Interest
Phone: (213) 430-8366
Email: dlash@omm.com
Jerri Shick
Senior Pro Bono Counsel
Phone: (212) 326-2868
Email: jshick@omm.com
Brett Williamson
Partner-in-Charge of Pro Bono
Phone: (213) 479-2136
Email: bwilliamson@omm.com
Small Business Clinic for Low-Income Entrepreneurs
O’Melveny attorneys teamed up with lawyers from Chubb, a leading global insurer, and the Neighborhood Entrepreneur Law Project of the City Bar Justice Center, to hold a pro bono clinic in Brooklyn, New York, assisting low- to moderate-income micro-entrepreneurs.
Funding for Private Education of Learning Disabled Child
O’Melveny worked with Advocates for Children to secure complete tuition reimbursement, transportation, and 640 hours of remedial tutoring for a learning-disabled 14-year-old child.