Making Pro Bono Personal at Gowling WLG

Why It Matters

Structured pro bono programs boost lawyer engagement and talent development while expanding access to legal services for underserved communities, strengthening the firm’s market reputation.

Key Takeaways

• Gowling credits all pro bono hours, encouraging lawyer participation
• Partner Dzulynsky leverages corporate expertise for Ukrainian scouting charity
• Stano assists Indigenous elder with complex on‑reserve housing dispute
• Associate El Zir gains early leadership handling privacy compliance for abuse‑survivor nonprofit
• Pro bono links purpose with professional growth across career stages

Pulse Analysis

Law firms are increasingly treating pro bono work as a strategic talent asset, and Gowling WLG exemplifies that shift. By institutionalizing a clear policy that fully credits volunteer hours, the firm removes financial disincentives and signals top‑down support. This framework not only satisfies lawyers’ desire for meaningful work but also serves as a recruitment differentiator, attracting talent that values purpose alongside billable revenue.

The firm’s approach shines through concrete engagements. Partner Myron Dzulynsky channels decades of corporate governance experience into helping Plast Toronto, a Ukrainian scouting charity grappling with asset‑management challenges amid a wave of refugees. Environmental law leader Maya Stano leverages her Indigenous relationships to resolve a multi‑year on‑reserve housing dispute for an elder, demonstrating how niche expertise can unlock community impact. Meanwhile, associate Nayla El Zir applies privacy‑law acumen to support La Traversée, a nonprofit aiding sexual‑abuse survivors, gaining early client‑facing experience that would otherwise be rare for junior counsel.

Beyond individual stories, Gowling’s model illustrates how pro bono work fuels a virtuous cycle: lawyers deepen technical skills, enhance empathy, and build leadership capacity, while underserved populations receive high‑quality legal assistance. This dual benefit strengthens the firm’s brand, meets growing client expectations for socially responsible partners, and contributes to broader access‑to‑justice goals. As the legal market continues to prioritize ESG and employee well‑being, firms that embed pro bono into their DNA are likely to see sustained competitive advantage.