Last week, AALS released the results of its annual survey finding that “law students’ clinical and pro bono work topped $1 billion in value over the past decade.” From the announcement about the 2026 annual survey:

AALS released the results of its annual survey of law schools’ contribution to legal services, finding that the Class of 2026 provided more than $157 million in legal work through clinics, other experiential courses, and pro bono activities. The results were released at the National Rural Access to Justice Convening, organized by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) in collaboration with AALS and hosted by the University of Nebraska College of Law.

As the survey noted:

Law students in the class of 2026 delivered at least 4.3 million hours of much-needed legal services. Nearly 22,250 law students from 110 schools were represented in the survey with an average of 197 hours per student. The value of students’ contribution to pro bono services was more than $157 million. Independent Sector, a nonprofit coalition, estimates the value of volunteer time at $36.14 an hour in 2026.

To read more, James Grief, AALS Survey: Law Class of 2026 Contributed More Than $157 Million in Pro Bono Legal Services, AALS Lens, November 6, 2026; see also Julianne Hill, Over $157M in Pro Bono Legal Services Donated by Law Class of 2026, ABA Journal, November 9, 2026.