Simpson Thacher has an abiding commitment to public service. Pro bono work is engrained in our professional ethos. Each year the Firm devotes tens of thousands of hours to pro bono projects that include advocating on behalf of low-income clients and the nonprofits that serve them.
We work for civil and human rights, adequate education, and the preservation of the environment. The efforts of our lawyers include:
- representing individuals seeking asylum and other immigration remedies in the United States
- providing corporate and tax counsel to nonprofits that provide programs and services for underserved and poor communities
- representing victims of violence and human trafficking
- advocating for individuals facing discrimination, eviction, and loss of liberty or seeking second chances through conviction relief
- counseling micro-entrepreneurs and small businesses
- advising veterans seeking legal advice and service-connected benefits
- Representing LGBTQ+ clients seeking name and gender marker changes
- representing environmental organizations seeking to protect endangered species and wilderness areas
- advocating for students and families seeking access to education and special education services in school
- writing amicus briefs on civil rights issues to the United States Supreme and Circuit Courts
We also handle impact litigation involving civil and human rights issues, and write amicus briefs on constitutional issues before the U.S. Supreme Court and Circuit Courts on behalf of civil rights organizations and others nationwide.
Some of our longstanding pro bono clients include Doctors Without Borders, Natural Resources Defense Council and the Robin Hood Foundation.
We count among our legal services partners the ACLU, Brennan Center for Justice, Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Washington, City Bar Justice Center, Community Legal Services of East Palo Alto, Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice, Her Justice, Human Rights First, Immigration Equality, Inland Counties Legal Services, Kids in Need of Defense, Law Foundation of Silicon Valley, Lawyers Alliance for New York, Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area, Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Lawyers for Good Government, Legal Aid Louisville, Legal Aid of the District of Columbia, Legal Counsel for the Elderly, Legal Services NYC, Levitt Quinn, Mobilization for Justice, National Homeless Law Center, National Women’s Law Center, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, New York Legal Assistance Group, Safe Passage Project, Sanctuary for Families, Southern Poverty Law Center, Start Small Think Big, The Door, The Legal Aid Society of New York and Volunteers of Legal Service, and many of them have recognized the Firm with awards for our pro bono work.
Our attorneys believe in using their skills and passions to serve low-income communities, fight against injustice, preserve access to the courts, and enforce the rule of law. The Firm’s pro bono efforts demonstrate the same commitment to excellence as we do all our work. The Firm’s full-year Public Service Fellowship and Summer Public Interest Fellowship Programs further demonstrate our manifest commitment to pro bono values.