Esther Lardent, '71, Founder of the Pro Bono Institute, Profiled by The American Lawyer as 'Lifetime Achiever'

Esther Lardent, founder of the Washington, D.C.-based Pro Bono Institute, can be very persuasive. Just ask U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who has spoken at nearly all of PBI's yearly meetings since the late 1990s, no matter how busy her schedule. Ginsburg happens to be a big fan of PBI's efforts to give poor and disadvantaged communities better access to legal services. But Lardent's lobbying hasn't hurt.

"She's a hard person to say no to," says Ginsburg.

Many managing partners and general counsel would agree. Since PBI's launch in 1996, Lardent (aka the "Queen of Pro Bono") has convinced nearly 150 top-tier law firms and dozens of Fortune 500 legal departments to step up their commitment to pro bono. Her pitch is simple but effective: By doing good on the pro bono front, big law firms can boost recruiting and generate positive PR buzz—and thus also do well.

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