The American Lawyer`s July Issue Profiles Continued Pro Bono Growth; Munger, Tolles & Olson Again Tops 2009 Am Law "A-List"

NEW YORK--(Business Wire)--
The July issue of The American Lawyerreports that the surprising growth of Am
Law 200 pro bono hours since 2004 appears to be continuing, despite the
recession. The magazine`s annual survey results, released today, reveal that Am
Law 200 firms logged a record 5.57 million pro bono hours in 2008, a 15 percent
increasefrom 2007. At a blended hourly rate of $300, The Am Law 200 provided
roughly $1.67 billion in free legal services to those who otherwise could not
afford them or to groups and individuals seeking to litigate constitutional
claims. Also in this issue, Munger, Tolles & Olson has again topped The American
Lawyer`s "A-List" ranking of the most elite firms in the U.S. Drawn from four
different ALM rankings, the 20-member A-List looks beyond business results to
identify Am Law firms that set the standard for their peers. For these and other
stories, visit www.americanlawyer.com.

Average pro bono hours per lawyer for the Am Law 200 rose 14percent, to 61, and
the percentage of lawyers who did more than 20 hours of pro bono work increased
to 48 percent, also a new record. The ten firms with the greatest per-capita pro
bono commitment each averaged more than 125 hours per lawyer. This group was led
by Jenner & Block, which averaged almost 170 pro bono hours per lawyer in 2008,
with 91 percent of the firm`s attorneys contributing 20 pro bono hours or more
last year.

Editor in chief Aric Press will discuss and evaluate this year`s Am Law pro bono
results in a free webinar at 1:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, July 1. Click here to
register for the webinar.

"In the face of the recession, and perhaps because of it, the Am Law 200 firms
had a record probono year in 2008," said Press. "The next big test is now. Will
2009 with fewer new associates serve as well?"

Munger, Tolles, headquartered in Los Angeles, combined the A-List`s highest
diversity score with solid rankings in revenue per lawyer, pro bono work and
associate satisfaction, to edge out runner-up Hughes Hubbard & Reed and continue
its two-year run at the top of the A-List.

This year, two firms made the A-List for the first time: Irell & Manella and
Kirkland & Ellis, while the two that reappeared-Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and
Dorr and Howrey-are veterans of past lists. Four New York firms fell completely
off the list (Cravath, Swaine & Moore, Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler, Shearman
& Sterling and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett).

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Peters & Feldman for Incisive Media
Lee Feldman, 203-341-8922
lee.feldman@incisivemedia.com

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