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Florida firm emphasizes pro bono work

By Raju Chebium
CNN.com Correspondent

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Holland & Knight LLP, a law firm of 1,100 lawyers and a strong presence in Florida, has won kudos from the American Bar Association for its pro bono service.

The public interest legal community also holds up Holland & Knight as an example of a big-city law firm with a social conscience.

A key practice at the firm is giving equal credit to work provided pro bono -- free to those who cannot afford to pay -- and paying work when calculating how many billable hours its attorneys have performed in a year. These workload surveys are used to in determining annual bonuses, raises and advancement opportunities.

In addition, the firm has three attorneys who handle only pro bono cases, and that number is expected to grow.

Managing Partner Bill McBride said giving equal credit to pro bono work sends the message that the firm values public service and will reward attorneys who do it.

"Pro bono is an obligation just as brushing our teeth," he said in an interview from Tampa, Florida. "We are trying to create an institution that is a force for good in our communities."

He said pro bono work actually makes good business sense and in the long run does not take away from paying work.

"If we emphasize community service professionally, you will get the kind of people who will work hard and you will make money anyway," he said. He added that he takes issue "with a business philosophy or strategy that says you've got to put the dollars first."

Pro bono partner Stephen Hanlon, who works out of Tallahassee, Florida, said the firm has an expectation of 50 pro bono hours per lawyer per year. Most associates have a billable hour expectation of some 1,900 hours a year.

The firm has 23 offices throughout the United States and offices in Israel and Mexico.

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