Freedom to volunteer: gender differences in providing pro bono legal services

The provision of pro bono legal services is a crucial form of professional volunteering that helps to address the challenge of limited access to legal representation and promote equal access to justice. This paper investigates gender differences in pro bono engagement among lawyers, utilizing a unique dataset of over two thousand practicing lawyers from two U.S. states – California and Florida. It aims to bridge the existing gap in understanding the motivations and barriers influencing lawyers' pro bono engagement by providing a particular focus on gender dynamics. Employing linear regression models, the presented analysis reveals that even though women report stronger support for pro bono services and higher levels of altruistic and professional motivation, these factors do not actually translate into an increased pro bono engagement. These findings underscore persistent gender disparities as women face significantly greater constraints associated with family obligations and workload demands. Notably, women are more likely to participate in pro bono work even when they report a lack of personal interest, which is a pattern that was not observed among men. The results suggest that women may enjoy limited freedom in decision-making related to pro bono work and act less in accordance with personal preferences.