Going beyond just policy
Hogan Lovells Cadwalader says it has become the first global law firm to write a commitment to pro bono work into its partnership deed, putting doing good alongside the rules governing how the firm is run.
The move follows the blockbuster tie-up between Hogan Lovells and US outfit Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, which went live in July this year, with the newly combined firm’s constitution now formally committing the partnership to pro bono and wider community work.
The firm claims the move is a first for a global law firm, taking pro bono beyond the usual firm-wide policies and putting it into the very document that sets out how the partnership is owned, led and managed.
Miguel Zaldivar, the firm’s CEO, said:
“By embedding pro bono in our constitution, we are making clear that creating positive impact is a fundamental part of who we are and how we define our success.”
And there’s already a fair bit of pro bono on the books. In 2025, the firm’s people racked up more than 256,000 hours of responsible business work worldwide, including over 174,000 hours dedicated specifically to pro bono.
The move has also earned the thumbs-up from former UK Attorney General and LawWorks chair Lord Peter Goldsmith KC, who said it “sets an excellent example for all lawyers operating in the UK”.
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