Does the firm count pro bono hours toward an associates expectation of billable hours?
Coyle: Yes. There is no limit on the number of pro bono hours a person can work. We have a suggested minimum of the greater of 50 hours or 3 percent of a lawyer’s billable time. Pro bono and community involvement are factors in attorney evaluations. Editor: How do you handle the situation where a pro bono project begins to consume much more time than originally anticipated? Coyle: The same way we handle this situation for paying clients. We give it the attention and staffing it needs to bring it to a successful conclusion. Editor: Has the firm ever engaged in joint undertakings with the legal department of a firm client? Coyle: Yes. We are working with Blue Cross/Blue Shield in Pennsylvania on guardianships and other children’s issues. We are just about to start working with Valero Energy in San Antonio on the staffing of legal clinics. This enables our lawyers and their in-house colleagues to work together on some very worthwhile matters and to develop good relationships outside of th
