The Board of Governors of the State Bar of California passed a resolution supporting the first National Celebration of Pro Bono week , October 25-31, 2009. The resolution notes the Bar's historic support of pro bono, and cites the ongoing need for legal services for the 6 million Californians currently living in poverty; only  800 legal services attorneys  serve  the growing numbers of impoverished citizens.

The resolution commends the pro bono work of lawyers, and encourages both increased levels of participation in pro bono work as well as financial support of legal services organizations. The document concludes with the observation that pro bono services make a significant difference in the lives of the poor who would not otherwise have  access to the legal system.