After years of rapid expansion, pro bono increases moderated in 2009--but a threatened nosedive didn't happen.

After a decade of hefty, often double-digit, increases, the growth of The Am Law 200's pro bono commitment slowed in 2009. Am Law 200 firms logged 5.7 million hours of pro bono work last year, a 2 percent increase from 2008. Average hours per lawyer was flat, and the percentage of lawyers with 20 hours or more of pro bono work dipped 1 percent, to 47.5.