Seemingly lost in the shuffle of news, reports, and lists having to do with firm financials are The American Lawyer’s annual Pro Bono Report and rankings. The report is important not only as a reflection of all the good work done by already-hard-working attorneys, but serves as a record for each AmLaw 200 firm’s pro bono efforts in the previous year. Each firm’s rank in the Pro Bono Report also figures prominently in the annual A-List, also published in American Lawyer magazine.

For those who want to cut to the chase and get the searchable spreadsheet containing the rankings and data upon which the rankings are based, click on Pro Bono Report. The spreadsheet is free to subscribers and costs $250 for non-subscribers. The methodology and definitions for the Pro Bono Report, and for all lists and data contained in the ALM Research Online database, can be accessed in one handy document by clicking on ALM Methodology. The Methodology can also be accessed on the home page of ALM Research Online, under the heading ALM Research Toolbox.

American Lawyer magazine’s Pro Bono Report appeared in this year’s July issue, and included an overview story of the results, as well as lists of firms that rose and dropped the most in the Pro Bono rankings. The most-improved score was registered by Saul Ewing, which rose an amazing 97 places in the rankings, from 162nd in 2005, to 65th this year. The remaining five most-improved included, in order, McKenna Long; Sedgwick Detert; Fragomen, Del Ray; and Bell Boyd.

Another story in the same issue, not available online, focused on Bingham McCutchen’s admirable efforts in taking on legal services for the families of 400 students in Harlem.

The “Pro Bono” results figured prominently in the other list published in the same issue, The A-List. The A-List consists of only 20 top firms that have demonstrated excellence in several areas, all represented by lists and rankings published over the year in The American Lawyer: Revenue per Lawyer (from The Am Law 200), the Midlevel Associate Survey, Diversity Scorecard, and the Pro Bono Report, all of which are available in spreadsheet format through ALM Research Online. Pro Bono rankings, like Revenue per Lawyer rankings, are weighted to count for twice as much in the scoring for the A-List as are the rankings for Diversity and Associate Satisfaction.

For those interested in additional reports on Pro Bono, several of ALM’s newspapers carry their own reports. National Law Journal published a series of firm profiles in their January 2nd issue, and in the June 19th issue, published profiles along with their “Most Influential Lawyers” list.

More local and regional reports were presented this year in Texas Lawyer (July 24th issue), Legal Times (August 7th issue), and New York Law Journal, which has a regular feature, “The Pro Bono Digest” on the first Monday in odd-numbered months (January, March, May, etc.)