A Force for Good: Robins Kaplan's Pro Bono Program
At Robins Kaplan, we believe everyone deserves equal access to the legal system. That’s why we work every day to provide legal representation to those who cannot afford it. Whether working for a paying or pro bono client, our attorneys bring their reputation as tenacious champions to the courtroom. When life, liberty, and basic needs are on the line, we help our clients win when it matters most.
We set high expectations for our pro bono program. Each attorney is asked to contribute at least 50 hours of pro bono work annually. Since 2005, at least 5% of our firm’s total attorney time has been provided pro bono to advancing the public interest, enforcing civil rights, and providing representation to low-income clients.
We partner with more than 60 nonprofit organizations to help us identify pro bono cases that match our attorneys’ skills and interests. And we partner with corporate attorneys to leverage our resources and address unmet needs. Our pro bono services range from brief advice at legal clinics, to consulting with nonprofit attorneys, to full representation at trial.
Nationally Recognized Pro Bono Program
Our dedication to giving back has earned us national accolades.
- Ranked #5 in the nation by Law360 for pro bono in 2023
- Consistently highly ranked by The American Lawyer as a top pro bono firm
- Ranked #27 on Vault’s “Best Law Firms for Pro Bono”in 2023
- 32 firm attorneys named “North Star Lawyers” for providing pro bono advocacy by the Minnesota State Bar Association in 2023
- 11 firm attorneys received the Wiley W. Manuel Certificate for Pro Bono Legal Services from the State Bar of California in 2023
- In 2022, 4 firm attorneys named to the Adams Pro Bono Honor Roll, and 2 firm attorneys named to the Adams Pro Bono High Honor Roll by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
- Robins Kaplan attorney received the Hennepin County Bar Association Pro Bono Excellence Award in 2023
- Robins Kaplan attorneys named Minnesota Lawyer Attorneys of the Year in the Government & Nonprofit Category for work on a pro bono case in 2023
- Ranked #9 on the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal’s list of top Minnesota-based corporate philanthropists in 2022
2023 Community Service & Foundation Contributions
All of our firm members are dedicated to giving back to the community and our two foundations, the Robins Kaplan Private Foundation and The Foundation for Children, are committed to supporting the greater good.
- Community
Throughout 2023, our firm members gave back to the community through a variety of community service and pro bono projects. Read More - 2023 Board Memberships
Our firm’s attorneys serve on the board of directors of more than 100 nonprofit organizations. Read More - 2023 Foundation Contributions
The firm’s foundations contributed to more than 95 nonprofit organizations in 2023. Read More
2023 Pro Bono That Makes a Difference
In 2023, the firm had the privilege of representing many remarkable pro bono clients, you can read some of their stories here.
Protecting Trans Rights in Minnesota Prisons
The firm co-counseled with Gender Justice to obtain a groundbreaking win for transgender rights in a lawsuit against the Minnesota Department of Corrections.
Ensuring Services for Trans Individuals in South Dakota
The firm secured a key victory on behalf of the Transformation Project, a nonprofit organization providing suicide prevention and healthcare support for transgender individuals across South Dakota, following the state’s abrupt cancellation of the organization’s contract.
Fighting for Veterans Experiencing Homelessness
The firm represents Los Angeles veterans experiencing homelessness and the National Veterans Foundation in a class action against the federal government.
Recovering Unpaid Wages
The firm filed and favorably settled a wage theft, breach of contract, and defamation case for a low-income single mother employed as a professional caregiver.
Winning Justice for Farmworkers
The firm reached a favorable settlement for 23 clients in a labor trafficking case.
Helping Low-Income Tenants Keep Housing
The firm favorably settled an eviction case for a low-income tenant the day of the jury trial & in a separate case, obtained judgment for a low-income tenant whose security deposit was wrongfully withheld after she was victorious in another lawsuit involving the landlord.
Reuniting a Single Mother with Her Son
After a long-fought battle with an abusive ex, our client defeated her ex’s motion seeking full custody of her son and instead obtained full parenting time after an extended period of very little visitation.
Helping Immigrant Fleeing Torture
The firm secured release from detention and deferral of removal under the Convention Against Torture for a client in a challenging immigration case.
Protecting the Boundary Waters
Our case team achieved another significant victory in a lengthy legal challenge to the federal government’s renewal of two expired copper-nickel mining leases on land adjacent to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
Securing Green Cards for Afghan Allies
The firm secured green cards for multiple Afghan clients who worked with the United States and who were forced to flee Afghanistan when the United States withdrew.
