CBA Record September-October 2026

THE YOUNG LAWYERS SECTION

Small Firm, Big Pro Bono Impact Aleksandra Petrovic, YLS Chair

CBA YOUNG LAWYERS SECTION Chair Aleksandra Petrovic Kellogg, Abrams, & Jovanovic, LLC

First Vice Chair Stephanie Moon Armstrong Teasdale LLP

while pro bono work may be difficult to fit into our already busy schedules, its impact often extends far beyond the time we invest. I found it difficult to take on pro bono work because I practiced at a smaller firm, where attorneys often balance many competing responsibilities. Small firms may lack established pro bono programs or dedicated resources to help attor neys identify opportunities. I worried that dedicating time to pro bono work meant taking time away from my exist ing clients and responsibilities. Without a formal pro bono program, I simply did not know how the firm viewed pro bono service or whether it encouraged associ ates to participate. While these challenges are real, they do not make pro bono work impossible. Small firms can cultivate a culture of service by intentionally supporting asso ciates through mentorship, encourage ment, and clear communication that pro bono work is valued. When firm leader ship actively encourages pro bono work, associates are far more likely to partici pate. That support sends a clear message that serving the community is not a dis traction from practicing law; it is part of what it means to be a lawyer. Supporting pro bono work also ben efits the firm. Through pro bono work, associates can develop litigation, nego tiation, and client counseling skills; gain confidence in handling new matters; and build stronger professional relationships. Firms benefit from improved morale, enhanced reputations within the legal community, and a workplace culture that emphasizes professionalism and service. Even the smallest firms can support a pro bono culture—here are just a few ways:

Second Vice Chair Andre A. Hunter, Jr. Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani

Recruitment Officer Joseph Nelson DiCello Levitt

Philanthropy Officer Deepa Singh U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

A video that a friend sent me on Instagram remains with me today. The video was posted by an attorney who took a pro bono asylum case in 2009. This attorney successfully obtained political asylum for a man who had been persecuted and tortured in his home country of Guinea. Although the Guinean man’s wife was approved to come to the United States, their three-month-old son was denied entry. Because their son was not included in the original petition and was deemed an “after-born” child, the man and his wife were separated from their infant son for two years. The attorney eventually reunited the family, but he later lost touch with them. Years afterward, though, the attorney received an unexpected invitation to a high school graduation. The graduating senior, now class president and college-bound, was the little boy he had helped reunite with his parents all those years before. By the end of the video, I found myself crying. When I talked to the friend who had sent it, we both concluded that we needed to do more pro bono work. The story served as a powerful reminder that

Program Officers Cha’yra Eddie Levenfeld Pearlstein LLC Stephanie Reed Almeida Law Group

Inclusion and Engagement Officer Kushtrim Ashiku Ankin Law

Secretary/Treasurer Ayomide Jide-Omole VentureWell

Co-Editors of the YLS Journal Katherine Hanson Illinois Appellate Court

George Schaller Duane Morris LLP

Co-Editors of the CBA Blog Sara Shiffman Attorney at Law John Gilmore King & Spalding

Immediate Past Chair Gavin Phelps Attorney at Law

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