phrase
Latin
Pro Bono
lit. “for the good”
Done for free, especially professional work donated for the public good — most associated with lawyers.
Origin
Short for pro bono publico ('for the public good'). The phrase has been used in English since at least the 18th century. The American Bar Association formally encourages lawyers to do 50 hours of pro bono work per year; many large firms run extensive pro bono programs as part of their public image and recruiting.
Modern usage
Most common in legal contexts but has spread to any profession donating its services — pro bono design, pro bono medical, pro bono coding. Sometimes used semi-ironically about small favors ('I'll fix your wifi pro bono').
In the wild
She took the case pro bono after seeing the family on the news.— common usage
Tags
free
legal
charity