Pro Bono Network

What Pro Bono Network does

Pro Bono Network (PBN) is a nonprofit organization founded in 2011 in Chicago that coordinates volunteer attorneys to deliver free civil legal services to low-income individuals and families across the Chicagoland area, including Cook County and DuPage County. The organization serves as an intermediary between attorneys seeking meaningful pro bono opportunities and clients with unmet civil legal needs in practice areas such as adult guardianship, divorce, domestic violence, expungement, immigration, wills, advance directives, and senior legal services. PBN's model is distinguished by structured volunteer support, including recurring Justice Boot Camp training, paired-attorney case backup, and integration with more than 20 community organizations and legal aid agencies such as CARPLS, Illinois Legal Aid Online, and Legal Aid Chicago.

PBN's core offering is a volunteer attorney matching and program management service delivered through 11 program areas, including in-person legal clinics (Senior Clinics, Austin Walk-In Clinic), virtual legal counseling, the Incarcerated Survivors Clinic, and the Lawyers in the Classroom educational program. Its technology stack is minimal: PBN relies on the Better Impact volunteer management platform for scheduling, tracking, and program administration, and operates without proprietary technology, mobile applications, APIs, or AI capabilities. Over 12 years of operation (2011-2023), PBN has recruited more than 450 volunteer attorneys and 30 translators, contributed 29,000 volunteer hours, and delivered approximately $7.25 million in free legal services to 5,000 clients.

PBN generates no client fees. Its revenue derives entirely from donations, corporate and law firm sponsorships, and foundation grants. Named sponsors include Coplan + Crane (2024 Justice Advocate Sponsor), Katten Muchin Rosenman, Chapman, and Golden Gate University (2024 Justice Sponsors). The organization runs annual fundraising and awareness events including Celebrate Justice and Justice Talks, though 2024 was characterized as a 'year of transition' during which Celebrate Justice was not held in person. PBN is governed by a Board of Directors and Advisory Council, operates with a small staff team from Oak Park, Illinois, and is led by Executive Director Linda Rio, Director of Programming Sheila Pont, Director of Development Heena Musabji, and Founder Donna Peel.

Name

Pro Bono Network

Legal name

Pro Bono Network

Website

https://pro-bono-network.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Pro Bono Network is a Chicago-based nonprofit founded in 2011 that coordinates volunteer attorneys to deliver free civil legal services to low-income individuals and families across the Chicagoland area, funded by donations, sponsorships, and foundation grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Aid Services

NAICS

Legal Services (5411), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111), Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

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

• Legal aid coordination
• Pro bono services
• Volunteer attorney programs
• Civil legal assistance
• Nonprofit legal clinics

Headquarters

HQ city

Oak Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: PBN relies on donations from individuals, sponsors, and foundations. Annual fundraising events include Celebrate Justice campaign and Justice Talks. No fees are charged to clients for services.
2. Sponsorships: Corporate and law firm sponsors support PBN through various sponsorship tiers at events like Justice Talks and Celebrate Justice. Sponsors include Coplan + Crane, Katten, Chapman, GGU, and others.
3. Foundation Support: PBN receives grants and support from foundations as part of their funding model.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Pro Bono Network recruits and supports volunteer attorneys to deliver free civil legal services to low-income clients in the Chicago metropolitan area, coordinating program areas such as guardianship, divorce, domestic violence, expungement, immigration, incarcerated survivors, wills, and senior legal services. The nonprofit matches attorneys to workable pro bono opportunities, pairs volunteers for partnership and backup, and provides training and administrative coordination so volunteer commitments fit attorneys' situations.

Product overview

Pro Bono Network is a nonprofit organization that operates as a single unified service rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. Its core offering is a volunteer attorney matching service that connects attorneys with pro bono legal opportunities across the Chicago area. The organization delivers legal aid through multiple program services including Adult Guardianship, Divorce, Domestic Violence, Expungement, Immigration, Incarcerated Survivors, Lawyers in the Classroom, Online Legal Counseling, Senior Clinics, and Wills. Supporting these programs are training services (Justice Boot Camp) and event services (Justice Talks, Celebrate Justice, Volunteer Open House). The programs are collaboratively developed with legal aid agencies and offer volunteer attorneys structure, support, and regular training to effectively serve clients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Volunteer Attorney Matching Services Connects attorneys who want to volunteer with workable pro bono legal opportunities in the Chicago area, providing structure and support so volunteer commitments fit attorneys' situations.
• Adult Guardianship Program Legal assistance program connecting volunteer attorneys with low-income adults in the Chicago area who need guardianship support.
• Divorce Program Pro bono legal assistance for low-income individuals seeking divorce, including a Divorce Litigation Project for simple divorces with no minor children or major assets.
• Domestic Violence Program Pro bono support services for individuals seeking protection from domestic violence, including Order of Protection litigation assistance.
• Expungement Program Helps individuals seal or expunge past convictions from their records to enable access to employment and housing.
• Immigration Program Pro bono immigration legal services including U-VISA applications, Advance Parole applications, and Parole in Place assistance for low-income Chicagoland residents.
• Incarcerated Survivors Program Provides non-criminal legal advice and assistance to incarcerated domestic violence survivors, covering DCFS questions, divorce, and post-conviction remedies.
• Lawyers in the Classroom Volunteer attorneys use prewritten lesson plans to teach constitutional law issues to middle school students in low-income Chicagoland schools.
• Online Legal Counseling Virtual legal counseling services connecting low-income Chicago-area clients with volunteer attorneys through online platforms.
• Senior Clinics Legal clinics serving low-income Cook County seniors with wills and powers of attorney drafting services.
• Wills and Advance Directives Program Virtual and in-person clinics helping low-income clients draft wills and powers of attorney, including DuPage County virtual clinics.
• Justice Boot Camp In-person training sessions for volunteer attorneys held every Friday, covering various legal aid topics and programs to prepare volunteers for pro bono work.
• Justice Talks Annual networking and fundraising event featuring conversations about access to justice, with 2024 Justice Advocate Sponsor Coplan + Crane and Justice Sponsors Katten, Chapman, and Golden Gate University.
• Celebrate Justice Annual fundraising event celebrating access to justice, previously held in person and transitioning to online matching campaigns.
• Volunteer Open House In-person informational sessions for prospective volunteers to learn about volunteer opportunities with Pro Bono Network.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 5,000 clients helped with $7.25M in free legal services

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• CARPLS (Coordinated Advice & Referral Program for Legal Services)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCARPLS is a legal resource triage system for Cook County. Their hotline staffs attorneys who assist callers or direct them to appropriate agencies. PBN works with CARPLS as a referral source and partner organization.
• Illinois Legal Aid OnlinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide site offering information about legal rights and responsibilities, referrals to free and low-cost legal aid offices, and forms and instructions. PBN refers clients to this resource.
• Legal Aid ChicagocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor legal aid organization in Chicago. PBN partners with Legal Aid Chicago and volunteers have been recognized as Volunteers of the Year multiple times (2015-2020).
• Ascend JusticecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAwarded PBN the 2021 Champion of Justice award for commitment to individuals and families impacted by gender-based violence and the child welfare system.
• Chicago Volunteer Legal Services (CDEL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAwarded PBN the Distinguished Service Award in 2016 and 2021 for contributions of PBN and volunteers through their Light Up the Loop awards event.
• 20+ Community Organizations and Legal Aid AgenciescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPBN has partnered with more than 20 community organizations and legal aid agencies over 12 years to deliver collaborative legal programs.
• Coplan + CranemajorGTM or Marketing Partner2024 Justice Advocate Sponsor. Special thanks to Coplan + Crane as the 2024 Justice Advocate Sponsors.
• ChapmanmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerJustice Sponsor for 2024 Justice Talks event.
• Katten Muchin RosenmanmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerJustice Sponsor for 2024 Justice Talks event.
• Golden Gate University (GGU)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerJustice Sponsor for 2024 Justice Talks event.
• Better ImpactcoreTechnology or IntegrationVolunteer management platform used by PBN for volunteer scheduling, tracking, and program management. Current volunteers log in through Better Impact.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Taproot Foundation: National nonprofit that mobilizes pro bono professionals (including legal professionals) for nonprofits. Comparable volunteer-matching model applied to a broader professional base across multiple U.S. cities.
• Pro Bono Institute: National nonprofit supporting pro bono legal service delivery across the U.S. Comparable focus on expanding volunteer attorney engagement, though operating at a national policy and program level rather than direct service.
• Illinois Legal Aid Online: Statewide legal information and referral platform serving Illinois residents. Overlapping mission of expanding access to justice and a PBN referral partner.

Direct peers

• Legal Aid Chicago: Major Chicago-area legal aid organization providing free civil legal services to low-income residents. Directly comparable to PBN's mission, service area, and client base, and an active PBN partner.
• CARPLS (Coordinated Advice & Referral Program for Legal Services): Cook County legal aid triage hotline that connects low-income callers to legal resources. Closely aligned mission and geography to PBN and an active referral partner.
• Ascend Justice: Chicago nonprofit providing free legal services to survivors of gender-based violence and child welfare matters. Overlapping client base and service lines with PBN's domestic violence and family law programs.
• Lawyers' Committee for Better Housing (LCBH): Chicago nonprofit providing free legal services in housing matters to low-income residents. Comparable civil legal aid model serving overlapping client populations in the same geography.
• Chicago Volunteer Legal Services (CVLS): Chicago-based nonprofit coordinating volunteer attorneys to deliver free civil legal services. Directly comparable volunteer-matching model and geographic footprint, and a PBN award partner.

Regional players

• Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI): Illinois-based organization promoting public interest law and pro bono service. Comparable pro bono infrastructure mission within the same state legal aid ecosystem.

Emerging players

• Constitutional Rights Foundation Chicago (CRFC): Chicago civic education nonprofit that intersects with PBN's Lawyers in the Classroom program on constitutional law education for youth in low-income schools.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/PBonoNetwork
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC_EE03hxq6V-azrdkuv93-w
• Facebookfacebook.com/probononetwork
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pro-bono-network
• Instagraminstagram.com/pro.bono.network

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pro Bono Network