[MODERATOR INSTRUCTIONS]
Once again, please limit this discussion strictly to the questions in the OP (including the rephrased question in Blalron’s second post). Questions about an attorney’s responsibility or what he or she “should” do are by their nature matters of opinion. Either take it to the Pit thread, or start a new one in GD.
I think this response is pertinent to the OP, since it will affect the percentages given.
Colibri
General Questions Moderator
I suspect that because of varied reporting requirements and goals for Pro Bono service we may not be able to get a hard number beyond the provided cites, that truly identifies the complete universe of lawyers who do or do not perform Pro Bono services.
OK, back on topic. The cite I linked to above was all I found using standard GQ research diligence (ie, 5 minutes of googling). In a larger sense the actual number is very difficult to determine given lawyers incentives to misrepresent the amount of pro bono work they do. And I think the above runs in both directions–a lawyer may say they do some when they don’t in an anonymous polling situation and may say they do none when they do some in a self-reporting to the bar situation (perhaps out of concerns about proving up the number of pro bono hours or a desire to keep even the fact of the representation confidential).
I will simply enter my apology to the GQ staff for asking a question not previously defined as verboten which to me seemed relevant to the discussion. There was no intent to cause problems but merely to see if the point Kimmy responded to me with was in fact universal or varied across jurisdictions.
No apology necessary; it wasn’t your fault. Your question is related, and normally I would allow it. However, because of the heated Pit thread currently going on, and because much of that discussion is related to differing interpretations of words like “mandated,” “responsibility,” and so forth, I think it’s better to keep this narrowly focused. You’ll note that, as much as you tried to define your question to remain within GQ limits, it was immediately seized on as the basis for editorializing by Kimmy. I think it’s better not to go there, lest we end up with another 1,500-post monster. 
Colibri
General Questions Moderator
I’ll take whatever data is available.
Honest question - is there ever really a need to “prove” you’ve actually done the number of pro bono hours you’ve claimed? I know you and I disagreed in the other thread, but I’m willing to defer to your greater experience here. My understanding, though, is that in Maryland, it’s pretty strictly self-reporting and no verification. Perhaps if someone actually went to the bar and accused me of lying, there might be an investigation - but short of that, the number I put on the form is the end of the matter.
That being said, I do think you’re on to something here - when I fill out the form, I probably do tend to under-count my hours. Not because I’m worried about having to verify my work to others, exactly - but I’d feel like I jerk if I gave myself credit for more pro bono than I’d actually done.
Yeah, I don’t know, Mr. E. What I was really thinking about when I wrote that is that I report zero charitable contributions on my tax return each year even though th e real number isn’t zero just ecause I want to present as clean a return as possible (I’m in a high audit risk category).
I suppose that a lawyer who is under investigation may try to use pro bono in his defense, and at that point the number of hours would be under scrutiny, so a lawyer may not want to put down a number they can’t prove up to the nth degree.
What form? 
The form the Maryland bar has me submit every year reporting the number of hours I’ve spent on pro bono work.
Got it. Sorry for my confusion; my bars do not call for any such.
Nor does the Ohio bar, although it is encouraged.