Our Philosophy

We don't consider our Pro Bono work to be any different than our fee-based work in most respects. We are dedicated to the same standards of quality, client responsiveness, and value-added contribution to the engagement.

Pro Bono Services

Stout offers Pro Bono consulting services in all of our practices areas. In addition, we seek out opportunities to apply our skills, experience, and expertise in other ways that can benefit low-income individuals and nonprofit organizations. Examples of services we have provided include:

• Impact analysis
• Legislative and policy research
• Strategic planning
• Market assessments
• Budget development and review
• Cash flow forecasting and financial modeling
• Assessment of internal controls
• Economic damage calculations
• Expert witness testimony
• Family law valuation and investigation
• Forensic accounting
• Internal investigations
• Real property and business interest valuation services

Who Qualifies?

We provide Pro Bono services to:

• Organizations that serve the interests of low-income individuals
• Organizations or individuals advocating for public, civil, or human rights
• Non-profit organizations that would not otherwise be able to afford professional services, or where the payment of fees for such services would significantly interfere with that organization’s mission
• Certain small for-profit businesses that cannot otherwise afford such services and seek to fulfill a commercial need in an economically challenged neighborhood or to serve low-income customers

If you or an organization you are involved with are in need of, and qualify for, Stout's Pro Bono services, please contact Neil Steinkamp.

Because we have committed to accepting only those Pro Bono matters that are consistent with the focus areas of our Pro Bono work, as outlined above, our acceptance of any potential Pro Bono matter is subject to our review to determine whether the potential matter: 1) presents any ethical or positional conflicts with existing clients; 2) is consistent with the firm’s Pro Bono policies; and 3) can be staffed adequately giving consideration to available resources and expertise.

Our Work

Since our Pro Bono practice was formed in 2008, we have been engaged in 175 matters, eclipsing professional fees of $6.4 million contributed to pro bono service. We are proud of our commitment to supporting the needs of low-income individuals and under-served populations. To learn more about our work, read the following case studies.

 

Assisted in investigation of director of student organization

Stout was retained by external counsel to provide financial analysis and forensic consulting as part of an independent investigation into the dealings of the director of a student organization at a prominent East Coast university.

 

Stout retained by counsel in class action litigation

Stout was retained by counsel in a class action litigation to estimate the future cash flows from collections on a portfolio of consumer debt.

 

Provided analysis and investigative expertise to Urban Justice Center

Stout provided financial analysis and investigative expertise in connection with enforcing a wage-discrimination judgment on behalf of restaurant workers.

 

Stout Professionals Build Financial Models and Data Analytic Tools for C2C

Stout helped create a dynamic profit-and-loss tool to more efficiently update C2C’s clinic profitability and understand its operations.

 

 

Economic Analysis in the New York Permanent Commission's Annual Report

Stout’s analysis on the value of civil legal aid in New York state was included in the State's Permanent Commission on Access to Justice 2017 Annual Report.

 

Measured economic damages sustained by domestic service worker

Stout was engaged to measure the economic damages sustained by an individual brought to the U.S. from Cameroon to work in domestic service.

 

 

Expert testimony services in complex child support proceeding

Stout was retained by an AM Law 100 firm to provide expert testimony services in the context of a complex child support proceeding.

 

 

Cost-Benefit Analysis for New York City Right-to-Counsel Legislation

Stout was asked by the Pro Bono and Legal Services Committee of the New York Bar Association to review cost / benefit reports from two City agencies.

 

 

Financial Advisors to Permanent Commission on Access to Justice

Stout was asked by The NY Permanent Commission on Access to Justice to serve as consultants to assess unmet civil legal needs in the state of New York.

 

 

Analysis of the Legal Needs of the Low-Income LGBTQ Community

Stout worked with Legal Services NYC to collect data to create the first report of its kind in the nation.

 

 

Cost-Benefit Analysis for New York Initiative for Children of Incarcerated Parents

Stout was retained to perform a cost-benefit analysis related to a bill that is being proposed to the New York State Senate.

 

 

Discovery and Damages Analysis – Wage and Hour Matter in the Telecom Industry

Stout was engaged by counsel representing the class plaintiffs to quantify the number of straight time and overtime hours worked by those plaintiffs.

 

 

Pro Bono Case Study: United States v. Medeles-Arguello

Assisted Pro Bono counsel representing a victim of the largest sex trafficking case in the U.S. to have gone to a jury verdict to date.

 

 

Analysis of Value: Employment Authorization Documents for Immigrants

Stout was asked to perform an economic value assessment of immigration documents in a class action suit against the United States government.

 

 

Analysis of Economic Impact: Veteran Discharge Status Upgrade

Stout develops groundbreaking model that gives the Veteran Advocacy Project empirical data to bolster the case for upgrading a discharge.