Pro Bono at Microsoft
Working together to close the gap in legal services
Our mission
To inspire and empower Microsoft employees and community partners to create solutions that promote justice for all by providing those in need with access to legal knowledge, resources, and services.
The need for pro bono services
In the United States, those needing help with a civil legal issue must find and pay for those services. For someone with limited means, this obstacle may become insurmountable. Many legal aid organizations work to meet the demand, but few can do so on their own. More than ever, pro bono is needed to close the gap in legal services.
The evolution of pro bono at Microsoft
The pro bono program continues to grow since its launch in 2003, with attorneys and other professionals striving to volunteer at least 30 hours of annual pro bono work, combining the power of human effort and digital transformation to drive more impactful solutions.
The impact of pro bono at Microsoft
From upholding immigrants’ rights to guarding the right to equal justice, Microsoft pro bono volunteers take action to advance social and economic well-being in the community.
19,000
Number of unaccompanied immigrant children Kids in Need of Defense has served since Microsoft co-founded the organization in 2008.
1,800 Hours
Number of pro bono hours Microsoft employees have volunteered to assist Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) in 2019.
3,897
Number of pro bono hours Microsoft employees have spent in service to mothers and children detained at the Texas border in 2019.
Scaling impact with the DACA Copilot
A new Azure AI-enabled solution will streamline operations and expand capacity for DACA Clinics, in which Microsoft volunteers help applicants file renewals for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status. A cross-Microsoft team developed the platform, which will increase the number of DACA applicants the clinics can serve and provide the infrastructure to meet an expected surge in demand.
Partnering with pro bono organizations
Microsoft is proud to partner with the following legal services organizations, nonprofits, law schools, and law firms to increase the collective work toward a more just and equitable world.
Learn more
Read more stories about the Pro Bono Program at Microsoft
Legal help from an unexpected source
At age 12, Enni Ramirez fled her country to find safety. Now she has a green card and a new life with the help of Megan Yoshimura, KIND, and the Microsoft Pro Bono Program.
Evolving the in-house pro bono program
To inspire other in-house legal departments to evolve their own pro bono programs, Microsoft and the Pro Bono Institute co-created this maturity model as a tool for assessment and growth.
Pro bono helps inventors curb pollution
Four Microsoft pro bono volunteer attorneys and the MakeWhatsNext Patent Program helped inventors at Greenon High School in Ohio obtain a patent on their invention to address local water pollution.
Protect journalists to defend democracy
Learn about the Protecting Journalists pro bono initiative and the work to defend the pillar of our democracy that is journalism and journalists' rights.
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