The pro bono champion of Canada

is McCarthy Tetrault:

TORONTO, Nov. 16 /CNW/ - McCarthy Tétrault is proud to announce that it garnered the Canadian National Pro Bono Law Firm Award this evening at the first-ever National Pro Bono Conference, being held at the Metropolitan Hotelin Toronto on November 16 and 17, 2006. "While this recognition of our efforts is certainly an honour, we view pro bono work as a responsibility that our firm and the entire legal industry must continue to shoulder," said W. Iain Scott, McCarthy Tétrault Chair and CEO. "We are proud of the $1.2 million in pro bono services that 192 McCarthyTétrault lawyers contributed so far this year to communities across Canada in 2006, but there is still much work to be done. It is our hope that this award serves as an instrument of inspiration and change, beginning with the formation of Pro Bono Law organizations all across Canada."

Well said, Mr. Scott. The entire press release is worth reading. Congratulations to all concerned!

A Good Firm Model For Pro Bono

...has been established at Atlanta's Kilpatrick & Stockton by making the Pro Bono Practice a full time Partner's responsibility. Debbie Segal has made that a successful strategy. As noted in the Fulton County Daily Report:

Since Segal joined Kilpatrick, the firm’s annual pro bono hours have almost tripled, from a total of 7,900 hours in 2000 to 27,500 hours last year, she said. Last year’s hours would be worth $8.3 million if charged at billable rates and amounted to 3.3 percent of the firm’s revenue. Eighty-two percent of Kilpatrick’s lawyers worked pro bono at least 20 hours, contributing to the firm’s No. 4 participation ranking and No. 17 overall spot last year in American Lawyer’s annual pro bono survey of the nation’s 200 largest law firms.

Pretty impressive if you ask us!!!!!