Pro bono: Looking back, looking forward
The future of pro bono starts here
The 2026 National Pro Bono Conference will bring together leaders from across Canada’s legal, technology, nonprofit, and justice sectors for two days of practical learning, bold ideas, and cross-sector exchange.
Hosted in Toronto during Pro Bono Ontario’s 25th anniversary year, this national gathering will reflect on the evolution of pro bono, examine legal needs, and explore how pro bono can strengthen access to justice in the years ahead.
The program will focus on the partnerships, approaches, and leadership needed to make pro bono more effective, sustainable, and responsive. Sessions will highlight successful initiatives, enabling technologies, best practices, and practical ideas that participants can adapt in their own firms, organizations, and programs.
A program designed to connect, challenge, and inspire
Over two days, the conference will bring together ideas, proven models, and practical strategies that can inform stronger pro bono work across firms and programs in Canada.
Event details
Date:
Thursday November 12 and Friday November 13, 2026
Location:
Ontario Bar Association, 20 Toronto Street, Toronto, ON M5C 2B8
Speakers and hosts
Spanning two days, the conference features accredited programming, thought leadership, and a national dialogue on access to justice and the private bar’s role in promoting a level
playing field.
Speakers will include members of the judiciary, leading law firm partners and in-house counsel, access to justice champions, and pro bono leaders from across the country.
Your hosts
Kirsti McHenry
Executive Director, Pro Bono Ontario
Anne-Marie Santorineos
Directrice générale, Justice Pro Bono
Jamie Maclaren
Co-founder, Access Pro Bono Society of BC & the Everyone Legal Clinic
Dominic Sikora
Executive Director & Staff Lawyer, Pro Bono Law Saskatchewan
Christine Laing
Executive Director, Pro Bono Law Alberta
2026 National Pro Bono award
Nominations are now open for the 2026 National Pro Bono awards, recognizing individuals, law firms and legal departments and programs that have made exceptional contributions to pro bono legal service.
A conference organized by Pro Bono Ontario
Celebrating its’ 25th Anniversary, Pro Bono Ontario is an access to justice charity that leverages lawyers’ goodwill to help low-income Ontarians address legal issues that interfere with their ability to lead secure, healthy and productive lives.
PBO delivers on this mission by creating and managing programs that provide high-quality legal services to the public and offer risk-managed, supported opportunities for lawyers to give back.
Together with the profession, PBO is committed to achieving 100% access to justice for the people of Ontario.
Learn more at www.probonoontario.org
