1016 – Doing Pro Bono Work
Claire: Welcome to the firm. Are you getting the hang of things here?
Jack: I am. I worked in another firm for two years before coming here, so I have some experience under my belt. But let me ask you one thing: Is the firm serious about wanting each person to do five hours of pro bono work each month?
Claire: It is. This firm takes community service very seriously. Everyone does pro bono work and everybody is expected to hit the target of 60 hours each year.
Jack: This is so different from my previous firm. There, everything was about billable hours. Nobody cared about anything but how many hours we could rack up with each client.
Claire: Billable hours are important here, too, but we bill ourselves as the firm with a social conscience. That’s what sets us apart from our competitors. If you fall short of your expected pro bono hours, believe me, you’ll hear about it.
Jack: It’s refreshing to work for a firm that’s not all about the bottom line.
Claire: Don’t get carried away. This firm is still here to make money. It’s just not 100% of its focus.
Jack: Maybe just 98%?
Claire: That’s right. And in this industry, that’s unheard of.