Pro Bono Project
Pro Bono Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1986 that provides free civil legal services to low-income Santa Clara County residents, with approximately 90% of services delivered by volunteer attorneys recruited from major law firms.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1986
- HeadquartersCampbell, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Pro Bono Project does
Pro Bono Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit legal services organization founded in 1986 and headquartered in Campbell, California, that provides free civil legal aid to low-income residents of Santa Clara County. Its service portfolio centers on three core areas: domestic violence representation (restraining orders, custody, visitation, support), reentry civil legal services for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals (record clearance, expungement under California SB 731/SB 1106), and community-access legal advice through Lawyers in the Library clinics and Virtual Legal Clinic sessions. Approximately 90% of client services are delivered by volunteer attorneys recruited from major law firms including DLA Piper, Fenwick & West, Cisco, Baker Botts, Littler Mendelson, Winston & Strawn, Haynes & Boone, WilmerHale, and Gibson Dunn.
The organization's underlying technology consists of a Virtual Legal Clinic platform built on Cisco Webex video conferencing, supported by Lenovo-donated laptops and Xerox-donated multi-function printers, enabling 20–30 minute confidential remote consultations at staffed community partner sites across Morgan Hill, Campbell, Milpitas, Gilroy, Los Altos, Saratoga, and the Santa Clara County Bar Association. It also operates a YouTube-based PBP Video Series launched in 2021 for asynchronous legal self-help education on restraining orders, custody, and record clearance procedures. All technology is non-proprietary, donated, or off-the-shelf; no AI/ML capabilities are deployed.
Pro Bono Project generates revenue entirely through charitable contributions rather than fees to clients. The funding mix comprises individual donations, corporate sponsorships (including an annual Lady Justice Innovates Benefit Dinner), government grants from entities such as the California Community Reinvestment Grants program, the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services, and the California Access to Justice Commission, cy pres awards from class action residual funds, and payroll deduction campaigns through United Way and the California State Employees Charitable Campaign. Executive Director Sandra Madrigal has reported annual fundraising of $1.5–$1.8 million and cumulative fundraising exceeding $12 million during her tenure. The go-to-market motion is community-led: clients are reached through direct referrals from Santa Clara County courts, the Office of Diversion and Reentry Services, and partner agencies including Goodwill Industries Silicon Valley and Maitri.
Pro Bono Project firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Pro Bono Project
- Legal name
- Pro Bono Project
- Website
- https://probonoproject.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1986
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Pro Bono Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1986 that provides free civil legal services to low-income Santa Clara County residents, with approximately 90% of services delivered by volunteer attorneys recruited from major law firms.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Pro Bono Project industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Legal Aid Services
- NAICS
- Legal Services (5411), Individual and Family Services (6241)
- SIC
- Services-Legal Services (8111), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Legal Aid & Client Advocacy Services (BPAGAEAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Public Defense & Legal Aid Services (BPAIAFAC), Victim Services & Witness Assistance (Justice System) (BPAIAFAJ)
Keywords
Where Pro Bono Project is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Campbell
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Pro Bono Project business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting legal services for low-income community members.
- Corporate Sponsorships: Annual event sponsorships for the Lady Justice Innovates Benefit Dinner and other organizational events.
- Government Grants: Funding from government entities including the Office of Diversion and Reentry Services, California Community Reinvestment Grants program, California Governor's Office of Emergency Services, and California Access to Justice Commission.
- Cy Pres Awards: Class action unclaimed funds directed to the organization by courts as 'next best use' awards.
- Payroll Deduction Programs: United Way Combined Federal Campaign and California State Employees Charitable Campaign payroll deductions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Other | Free Legal Services for Low-Income Residents |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Pro Bono Project product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Pro Bono Project provides free legal services to low-income residents of Santa Clara County, California, with a focus on family law (divorce, custody, visitation), domestic violence restraining orders, record clearance and expungement (including SB 731), and reentry civil legal services for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals. Services are delivered through in-person Lawyers in the Library clinics, Virtual Legal Clinic Sessions using Cisco Webex, mail-based services for incarcerated clients, and limited-scope representation by approximately 358 volunteer attorneys.
Product overview
Pro Bono Project operates as a legal services nonprofit offering a unified portfolio of free legal services to low-income residents of Santa Clara County. The core offerings center on three service areas: Domestic Violence Services (restraining orders, custody and visitation), Reentry Civil Legal Services (record clearance, expungement for formerly incarcerated), and community-based access programs including Lawyers in the Library and Virtual Legal Clinic Sessions. Supporting these are Attorney Mentoring and the PBP Video Series YouTube channel. Approximately 90% of services are delivered by volunteer attorneys coordinated through the organization's infrastructure.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Domestic Violence Services Free legal advice and limited scope representation in domestic violence restraining order hearings for victims and survivors in current or former domestic partnerships, including assistance with temporary custody, visitation, and support determinations.
- Reentry Civil Legal Services Free civil legal services to Santa Clara County incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals, provided in partnership with the Office of Diversion and Reentry Services, with a focus on record clearance and expungement matters.
- Lawyers in the Library Free 20-minute legal advice consultations conducted by volunteer attorneys at library locations, covering general legal advice, small claims court assistance, wills/trusts/probate, and startup legal questions.
- Virtual Legal Clinic Sessions Remote 20-30 minute legal consultations using Cisco Webex video conferencing, connecting community members with volunteer attorneys for confidential legal information and advice at staffed virtual clinic sites, with support for document sharing, review, and printing.
- Record Clearance Services Legal assistance with expungement, record sealing, and navigating California record clearance laws (SB 731, SB 1106) for formerly incarcerated individuals seeking to remove barriers to employment and housing.
- Attorney Mentoring Program Mentoring and supervision for volunteer attorneys, with experienced practitioners providing guidance on case strategy, framing of issues, and courtroom techniques for new attorneys taking family law cases.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 13,000 hours of legal services provided by 358 volunteer attorneys in 2011
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Pro Bono Project
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Pro Bono Project technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature1 record
Pro Bono Project partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
27 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Office of Diversion and Reentry ServicescoreGovernment partner providing referrals of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals to Pro Bono Project for free civil legal services. Coordinates the reentry services program for Santa Clara County.
- California Access to Justice CommissionmajorState commission working to improve access to justice for all Californians, supporting Pro Bono Project's mission.
- Silicon Valley Campaign for Legal ServicesmajorRegional campaign supporting and promoting legal services for underserved populations in Silicon Valley.
- Next Door Solutions to Domestic ViolencemajorPartner organization providing services to domestic violence survivors, received Outstanding Partner of the Year award in 2018.
- Hall of Justice (HOJ)coreSanta Clara County court facility where Pro Bono Project provides legal services.
- Santa Clara County Family CourtcoreCourt partner where Pro Bono Project handles domestic violence and family law cases.
- Public Defender OfficemajorSanta Clara County public defender office coordinating on criminal justice matters.
- Goodwill Industries Silicon ValleymajorOn October 21, 2022, Pro Bono Project attorneys conducted presentations on record clearance procedures for Goodwill clients re-entering the community. Collaboration coordinated with Vinessa Lira and Pablo Gaxiola of Goodwill.
- MaitrimajorCollaborative partnership producing FAQ resources for immigrant domestic violence survivors navigating the criminal justice system. Jointly developed materials by Rachel McKenzie, Phoenix Forbes (PBP) and Zakia Afrin, Shabana Ansari (Maitri).
- DLA PipermajorLaw firm providing volunteer attorneys and event sponsorship for Pro Bono Project. Major supporter of the Virtual Legal Clinic launch and Lady Justice Benefit Dinners.
- Fenwick & WestmajorSilicon Valley law firm providing volunteer attorneys, event sponsorship, and program support. Humanitarian sponsor and supporter of Lady Justice Benefit Dinners.
- CiscomajorTechnology partner supporting the Virtual Legal Clinic program with equipment and technical resources.
- Santa Clara County Bar AssociationcoreBar association partner operating Virtual Pro Bono Clinics providing free general legal advice to underserved clients in Santa Clara County.
- Morgan Hill LibrarycoreLibrary partner hosting Virtual Pro Bono Clinic sessions for the community.
- Baker BottsmajorLaw firm providing volunteer attorneys for virtual clinic consultations.
- Littler MendelsonmajorLaw firm providing volunteer attorneys for virtual clinic consultations and event sponsorship through Marlene Muraco (board member).
- Winston & StrawnmajorLaw firm providing volunteer attorneys for virtual clinic consultations.
- Haynes & BoonemajorLaw firm providing volunteer attorneys for virtual clinic consultations.
- LenovomajorTechnology company donating laptops for the Virtual Legal Clinic program.
- XeroxmajorTechnology company providing equipment for the Virtual Legal Clinic program.
- Santa Clara County Library DistrictcoreLibrary system operating four separate virtual clinics across the county.
- U.S. Department of Veterans AffairsminorDeveloping first-of-its-kind virtual clinic at a South Bay VA center specifically for veterans and their legal issues.
- WilmerHalemajorLaw firm receiving Firm Vanguard Award and providing volunteer attorneys and event sponsorship.
- BJ Fadem and AssociatesmajorReceiving Firm Vanguard Award for support of Pro Bono Project.
- Santa Clara County Board of SupervisorsmajorReceiving Outstanding Partner of the Year award. Supervisors Cindy Chavez and others have provided commendations and support.
- Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLPmajorLaw firm receiving Firm Vanguard Award and providing volunteer attorneys and event sponsorship.
- McManis FaulknermajorLaw firm receiving Philanthropist of the Year Award in 2016 for support of Pro Bono Project.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Pro Bono Project competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Bet Tzedek Legal Services: Bet Tzedek provides free legal services to low-income residents in Los Angeles, including assistance for families, older adults, workers, and people facing systemic barriers. It is comparable as a nonprofit civil legal aid provider, but it primarily serves a different regional market.
- Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County: Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County offers free legal help to low-income residents in an adjacent Bay Area county. It is comparable because it provides direct civil legal aid to similar client populations, though its primary geography differs from Pro Bono Project's Santa Clara County focus.
- East Bay Community Law Center: East Bay Community Law Center provides community-based legal services and law-school-linked clinics, including clean-slate, housing, immigration, and health-related legal aid. It is comparable because it serves low-income Bay Area clients with direct legal assistance and clinic delivery models.
- Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto: Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto provides legal services to low-income communities in areas such as housing, immigration, and economic advancement. It is comparable as a Bay Area legal aid nonprofit with clinic-based and community-centered service delivery.
Broad incumbents
- Public Counsel: Public Counsel is a large pro bono public interest law firm providing free legal services to low-income clients, nonprofits, and communities. It is comparable because it uses pro bono legal capacity to deliver public-interest representation, but operates at larger scale and primarily in Southern California.
- Legal Aid at Work: Legal Aid at Work is a California nonprofit legal services organization focused on workplace rights and legal help for low-wage workers. It is comparable as an established nonprofit legal aid provider, though its subject-matter focus is narrower than Pro Bono Project's family law, domestic violence, and reentry mix.
Emerging players
- Root & Rebound: Root & Rebound provides reentry legal support and advocacy for people impacted by incarceration and criminal records. It is comparable to Pro Bono Project's reentry and record-clearance services, though it is more specialized in the reentry segment.
Others
- OneJustice: OneJustice supports and delivers legal clinics and capacity-building for California legal services organizations, particularly for underserved communities. It is comparable as part of the pro bono legal services ecosystem, though it is more of a network and service-enablement organization than a direct local competitor.
Direct peers
- Bay Area Legal Aid: Bay Area Legal Aid provides free civil legal assistance to low-income residents across the Bay Area, including family, housing, benefits, and safety-related matters. It is comparable because both organizations deliver nonprofit legal aid to underserved clients in Northern California.
- Law Foundation of Silicon Valley: Law Foundation of Silicon Valley provides free civil legal services to low-income and vulnerable residents in Silicon Valley. It is a direct peer because it serves a similar geography with legal aid, advocacy, and representation for underserved communities.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Pro Bono Project social profiles
Digital presencePro Bono Project financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Pro Bono Project leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Pro Bono Project funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Pro Bono Project M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Pro Bono Project
What does Pro Bono Project do?
Pro Bono Project provides free legal services to low-income residents of Santa Clara County, California, with a focus on family law (divorce, custody, visitation), domestic violence restraining orders, record clearance and expungement (including SB 731), and reentry civil legal services for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals. Services are delivered through in-person Lawyers in the Library clinics, Virtual Legal Clinic Sessions using Cisco Webex, mail-based services for incarcerated clients, and limited-scope representation by approximately 358 volunteer attorneys.
Is Pro Bono Project a public or private company?
Pro Bono Project is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Pro Bono Project founded?
Pro Bono Project was founded in 1986. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Pro Bono Project based?
Pro Bono Project is headquartered in Campbell, United States, in the North America region.
How does Pro Bono Project make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Sponsorships, government Grants, cy Pres Awards and payroll Deduction Programs.
Who are Pro Bono Project's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Bet Tzedek Legal Services, Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County, East Bay Community Law Center and Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto. Broad incumbents are Public Counsel and Legal Aid at Work. Root & Rebound is listed as an emerging player. OneJustice is listed as an others. Direct peers are Bay Area Legal Aid and Law Foundation of Silicon Valley.
Does Pro Bono Project have an API?
No public API is recorded for Pro Bono Project.
What industry is Pro Bono Project in?
Pro Bono Project's product category is Legal Aid Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAEAM, Legal Aid & Client Advocacy Services, with a secondary code of BPAIAFAC, Public Defense & Legal Aid Services. Its NAICS code is 5411 and its SIC code is 8111.