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Legal practise is shaped by its social, political and economic environment. Canada's "new economy" of decreasing state regulation, globalization, computerization and changes in information technology, and the shift from manufacturing to the service sector has grave - largely negative - implications for the future of law and lawyers. Moreover, the profession is fragmented and stratified. It comprises multiple constituencies - solo practitioners, large corporate firms and specialists - with differing demographies and professional roles, which are implicated in varying degrees in the "new economy". As a result, they experience the restructuring of professional knowledge, governance, ethics and culture in ways so diverse as to put in question the prospects of a common professional future.

Over the past few decades, large law firms have increasingly integrated social movement causes and organizations into their pro bono practices. In this article, I examine the field of pro bono representation and examine the various types of organizations and social movement causes that receive large-firm representation. I find that large firms represent a range of social movement issues and that this shift has increased over time. My findings support the "social movement society" thesis that movements have increasingly become integrated within mainstream institutions and have expanded to include new constituencies and claims. However, I also find that large firms channel their resources toward some issue domains over others, indicating uneven representation across the contemporary pro bono field.

Over the past few decades, large law firms have increasingly integrated social movement causes and organizations into their pro bono practices. In this article, I examine the field of pro bono representation and examine the various types of organizations and social movement causes that receive large-firm representation. I find that large firms represent a range of social movement issues and that this shift has increased over time. My findings support the "social movement society" thesis that movements have increasingly become integrated within mainstream institutions and have expanded to include new constituencies and claims. However, I also find that large firms channel their resources toward some issue domains over others, indicating uneven representation across the contemporary pro bono field. Adapted from the source document.