Pro Bono Counsel
O’Melveny has an immediate opening for a Pro Bono Counsel in one of our West Coast offices.
At a glance
Organisation:
O'Melveny & Myers LLP
Type:
Full-time
Location:
San Francisco, CA, US
Job posted:
11 November 2025
Key Responsibilities
- Assist in the administrative management of the firm’s community legal services program to execute the firm’s overall pro bono mission, including coordinating periodic meetings of both the firm wide Community Legal Services committee and office-specific pro bono committees, evaluating matters as part of the intake process, managing staffing of pro bono matters, offering administrative guidance and mentorship to attorneys working on pro bono matters, reporting on ongoing engagements, and generating enthusiasm for pro bono work.
- Engaging, leading, and managing various pro bono-related projects (e.g., training opportunities for junior attorneys, administering ongoing projects with referring legal aid organizations).
- Contributing as a working attorney to selected pro bono engagements as needed.
- Assisting with staffing of pro bono matters, including by identifying opportunities for attorneys to engage in skill-building tasks related to their needs and practices, matching opportunities to theissues and causes of most interest to individual attorneys.
- Assist in coordinating and attending legal clinics held by legal aid organizations and working jointly with various commercial clients of the firm in handling collaborative clinic opportunities, working with the firm’s Corporate Social Responsibility where appropriate.
- Assist with firm public relations by periodically drafting articles, including both internal as well as external communications, relating to ongoing impact and high-profile matters, and nominating active attorneys for awards.
- Assist in creating and drafting various pro bono reports for both internal and external publication, including year-end case result highlights, bi-annual pro bono reports, quarterly case highlights, and more.
- Interface with the firm’s work-coordination and talent-development functions in managing associate workflow to best reflect client, practice-group, and skill-building needs. This responsibility includes tracking attorney hours on certain pro bono matters, responding to ad hoc requests for staffing needs, and aiding in the process of ensuring that pro bono matters are appropriately staffed to provide excellent client service, assess risk management issues, and help attorneys achieve a well-balanced docket of pro bono and commercial matters.
- Communicate with associates and partners to survey and identify areas and issues of specific pro-bono interests and connect associates/partners with appropriate opportunities.
- Build and maintain relationships with legal services organizations, particularly those organizations based in Texas, and assess/intake pro bono matters to meet the offices’ interests and community needs.
- Draft twice-weekly newsletters offering pro bono matters to Texas offices.This responsibility includes assessing available pro bono matters and community needs to determine what is appropriate for the firm, considering risk management and the firm’s commercial demands.
- Plan and coordinate events for various offices to generate attorney enthusiasm for pro bono, including periodic award ceremonies, lunches, and other special events.
- Assist the firm’s General Counsel and Talent Development teams by regularly reviewing and analyzing reports of attorney hours, time narratives, pro bono budgets, and pro bono work product, working across teams to monitor and address risk management concerns.
- Assist the Chair of the firm’s Community Legal Services Committee in preparing periodic analyses of the firm’s current pro bono efforts based on attorney feedback and other factors, and monitor/evaluate policies and procedures on an ongoing basis.
- Assist the firm’s Managing Counsel of Pro Bono and Public Interest Services in preparing annual pro bono administrative expense budget, and review budgeted expenditures for approval.
- Respond to requests from, and prepare appropriate reports for, various legal aid organizations seeking accounting of hours recorded by firm lawyers for those organizations and their clients.
- Create, maintain, and update model pleadings for high-volume pro bono matters (e.g., asylum petitions and name-change cases).
- Support the Managing Counsel for Pro Bono and Public Interest Services in representing the firm’s pro bono efforts at recruiting and other internal or external firm events, including the maintaining and building of relationships with both national and local legal aid, civil rights, pro bono, and other non-profit organizations.
- Assist in tracking the pro bono performances of firm attorneys, reaching out to firm lawyers in coordinated efforts to encourage achievement of internal hours goals and aspirations.
The Successful Candidate
- JD from an accredited law school, active bar membership in good standing, and strong legal background required.
- Minimum three years’ experience practicing law, familiarity working at or with large law firms, and expertise in pro bono legal practices preferred.
- Demonstrated passion for pro bono services, social justice and ensuring access to justice.
- Exceptional verbal and written communication skills required to work with attorneys, staff and outside organizations.
- Excellent judgment and discretion with respect to confidential information.
- Team-oriented, with excellent interpersonal, organizational and analytical skills; detail and results oriented, with the ability to manage multiple projects concurrently.
- Periodic travel required.