The State Bar Board of Trustees created the President’s Pro Bono Service Awards in 1983. The awards recognize California attorneys, law firms and associations of California lawyers who have provided or enabled the direct provision of legal services to poor persons or organizations whose primary purpose is to provide legal services to the poor, free of charge, without expectation of compensation from the client, in the preceding calendar year. In November 2009, the Board of Trustees expanded the list of award recipients to include California law schools accredited by the American Bar Association or The State Bar of California and law students currently enrolled in those law schools. A combined total of up to nine awards shall be given annually in all award categories. Recommendations for the President’s Pro Bono Service Awards are made by the Standing Committee on the Delivery of Legal Services (SCDLS) to the Board of Trustees, which reviews and approves the recommendations.
Award recipients must either be:
Members of the Standing Committee on the Delivery of Legal Services (SCDLS) are ineligible to receive an award during their service on the committee, and for one year following their departure from the committee.
Please note that no more than a total of nine (9) awards may be given in all of the five categories combined. The number of awards in a particular category may vary from year to year.