BUZZ
GIVING BACK
Raising the Bar How local lawyers pay it forward Written by ARIEL FELTON
IN A COMMUNITY-FOCUSED city like Savannah, there are plenty of ways to give back. Whether supporting fundraisers or joining the boards of local nonprofits, the altruistic can find
a way to get involved. In an effort to do their part, three lawyers combine personal passions and legal expertise to give back both in their everyday jobs and in their free time.
THE HELPING HAND
William “Bill” Hunter, partner at Oliver Maner LLP
Bill Hunter considers himself fortunate. “I’ve been tremendously blessed with my job and my family. You get old enough, and you realize how often we take that for granted,” he says. “But it’s not that way for everybody.” In 2016, Hunter’s passion for helping the less fortunate led him to join the Board of Directors for Union Mission, Savannah’s leading organization for providing assistance to the homeless. Through Hunter’s involvement, his firm Oliver Maner is a major sponsor for the Union Mission’s annual Raising Hope fundraiser. “Solving homelessness in Savannah couldn’t be more
important,” Hunter says. “People simply want a little help getting back on their feet, and that’s what Union Mission does so well: it gives people the skills and training that will help them get a job.” Additionally, Hunter does probono work with Compassionate Release, an organization aimed at securing releases for the most vulnerable federal prisoners. “There’s always been a shortage of attorneys to handle these motions, but it took on a whole new importance and urgency with COVID-19,” Hunter says, noting that prisons often don’t have the resources to manage COVID outbreaks properly. “I’m happy to say we’ve gotten three people released.”
“I’ve been tremendously blessed with my job and my family. You get old enough, and you realize how often we take that for granted, but it’s not that way for everybody.”—Bill Hunter M A RCH/A PRIL 2 0 21
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