Washington Lawyer July/August 2026
By Sarah Kellogg
From global law firms to solo practices to government offices, attorneys are demonstrating that meaningful pro bono impact is shaped less by where one works and more by how one chooses to engage.
Many attorneys who volunteer with the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center and similar organizations in the region exhibit a level of commitment that transcends conventional professional expectations. Their experiences are defined not only by the application of legal skills, but also by the profound personal experiences they derive from the work itself.
"With pro bono, you're meeting with the clients. You're hearing their stories. It humanizes the work (as compared to corporate law)," says Phillip Lee, a senior attorney at DLA Piper. "Pro bono work also has an impact that is immediate and can be exponential for clients."
Across practice settings, the forms of engagement may differ, but the underlying commitment remains strikingly consistent. A solo practitioner may integrate pro bono service into an already demanding independent practice. A government attorney may extend public service beyond formal responsibilities to address persistent gaps in access to representation. A Big Law attorney may operate within a structured pro bono framework that reflects their institution's commitment to the profession. In each case, the context shapes the approach, but not the impact.
Pro bono work often begins as an opportunity to explore new areas of law or engage with litigation. Over time, however, it evolves into a sustained commitment driven less by contrast with daily work and more by a transformed perspective. It offers a broader vantage point:
Pro bono work frequently provides a more immediate and deeply human connection to the law.
"Everybody needs to have representation," emphasizes Kendra Curry, a solo practitioner at Curry Law, PLLC. "Access to justice must remain consistent, even under challenging circumstances."
Big Law Advantage
Lee's professional trajectory illustrates the unique opportunities afforded by pro bono leadership within a large law firm. As a corporate finance attorney, he primarily handles complex transactions, credit agreements, and acquisition financing. At first glance, this work bears little resemblance to the urgent, human-centered challenges of landlord–tenant law, where tenants often face eviction.
Yet for nearly a decade, Lee has been representing tenants in Washington, D.C., through DLA Piper's pro bono service framework, which has allowed him to effectively bridge two distinct legal worlds.
"I'm a transactional corporate attorney," says Lee, noting that he had been exposed to litigation more broadly through clinical work in law school. "This affords me a chance to kind of relive my law school days."
Lee acknowledges that he had limited exposure to pro bono work prior to joining DLA Piper. His volunteer engagement was not incidental; rather, it was shaped by the firm's institutional culture. "At DLA Piper, pro bono is not just lip service," Lee says, adding that the firm has a long and sustained commitment to pro bono service by its attorneys in its D.C. office and across the globe. "They make sure that everyone has some pro bono projects or they're committed to one facet or another of pro bono."
This structured approach highlights one of the defining advantages of large law firms in the pro bono landscape. With dedicated resources, organized case pipelines, and formal support systems, firms enable attorneys to scale their contributions while balancing demanding client workloads. For Lee, this infrastructure allows him to engage meaningfully in a practice area far removed from his primary specialization.
"My pro bono activities help me stay connected and kind of rooted to the broader world, not just solely in my microcosm of Big Law life," Lee says.
In Lee's pro bono work, the impact is both immediate and tangible. He concentrates on landlord–tenant disputes involving individuals in public housing or relying on housing vouchers, matters where most tenants in the District go unrepresented.
His clients frequently encounter significant barriers to accessing legal support and often feel they have nowhere to turn when navigating complex negotiations with landlords. Without pro bono help, many would face a "high risk of becoming unhoused" if their cases were not successfully resolved, according to Lee.
A Solo Practitioner's Impact
Curry's career offers a complementary perspective, demonstrating how pro bono service can be seamlessly integrated into the life of a solo practitioner. As a business owner, mentor, and dedicated volunteer, she exemplifies a growing cohort of attorneys who embed pro bono work into the core of their professional identity.
For Curry, this commitment was shaped early. With a father who served as a police officer for three decades and a mother equally devoted to community engagement, Curry grew up with a clear understanding of service as both a personal obligation and a calling.
This foundation informs her approach to client relationships today. "I was the 6-year-old who was just sitting there chatting the ears off of 90-year-olds," she recalls.
Curry's pro bono journey began in law school, where she had a formative experience working with a legal clinic at the U.S.–Mexico border. "I knew a good amount about the issues of immigration in this country," she says, "but seeing [them] firsthand was one of the harder experiences that I [have ever had]."
Determined to act, she sought opportunities to support immigrant communities locally when she returned home to D.C. "I came back desperate to find a way to help immigrants in our community here," Curry says. Her work with the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center's immigration clinic eventually expanded into probate and guardianship matters through the Advice & Referral Clinic, where she continues to serve both clients and fellow attorneys.
"I am providing direct legal assistance while mentoring less experienced attorneys. It becomes a mix," she explains. "The attorneys will go and they'll meet their clients, and I will help them bridge the gap in their technical and interpersonal knowledge. Dealing with people can be overwhelming."
The cases she encounters frequently underscore broader systemic challenges. Probate matters can quickly evolve into thorny disputes involving property, family conflict, and overlapping legal issues. "I would say we either get the very basic or the very complicated," Curry says.
In the District of Columbia, gentrification and rising property values over the last two decades have intensified these dynamics. "It is the Wild West out here right now," she says, pointing to the high stakes surrounding generational assets and real estate.
These pressures can strain family relationships and, in some instances, escalate into confrontation. Despite experiencing such challenges firsthand, including direct clashes with frustrated clients, Curry remains steadfast in her commitment to access to justice.
"There's a huge deficit," Curry says, emphasizing that the limited availability of ongoing representation for individuals navigating probate and related issues puts many at risk of losing homes and retirement savings.
At the same time, Curry underscores the profound value of even modest contributions. "Even if you just give your time, just you being there is valued so much more than you can know," she says.
A Shared Professional Imperative
Taken together, Curry's and Lee's experiences illuminate a central insight: Pro bono leadership is not defined by scale or setting. Whether operating within a global law firm, a federal agency, or an independent practice, attorneys bring distinct capabilities shaped by their professional environments.
What distinguishes effective leaders in this space is not where they work, but how they choose to contribute. And once they commit to pro bono efforts, it becomes clear that the personal and professional fulfillment they gain often rivals — if not exceeds — the impact they deliver to their clients.
Sarah Kellogg is a freelance writer based in the Washington, D.C., metro area.
