pro bono Spotlight

Hinckley Allen announces Social

Justice Project

Hinckley Allen announces Social Justice Project, an initiative of its Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee. The Social Justice Project was created to ensure the long-term commitment and support of the firm to social justice issues through financial support and involvement with certain organizations in the firm’s respective communities. One component of the Social Justice Project is the establishment of the Hinckley Allen Social Justice Fund. Its purpose is to provide grants and financial support to worthy organizations in the firm’s local communities that are committed to promoting social justice causes. To make the contributions toward social justice truly impactful, the firm will provide financial contributions to these organizations and offer non-financial support through volunteer work by Hinckley Allen employees and via other non-financial contributions.

SmithAmundsen in Illinois has launched two programs as part of its ongoing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

The firm is creating a pipeline management strategy that focuses on support, advocacy, mentoring and visibility for diverse members of the firm to thrive and ascend to partnership and leadership. This strategy will complement the mentoring program already launched in early 2022 with the assistance of an outside consultant. The mentoring program, led by a task force, hits the ground running with mentor training. The task force will be filled with a number of associates who will assist and provide feedback and institution of the program. The firm also honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his legacy through a special firm initiative supporting educational opportunities for African American students in the firm’s communities to promote diverse, inclusive and equitable workplaces. The firm has pledged to donate a percentage of the billable value for the hours billed on Dr. Martin Luther King Day 2022, to educational programs supporting college-bound African American high school students in the communities where the firm’s offices are located

100 Percent Pro Bono Participation Achieved by Barclay Damon Attorneys, Paralegals

In 2021, for the fifth year in a row, every one of Barclay Damon’s full-time attorneys provided pro bono legal services to low-income individuals in need of legal assistance and organizations serving those seeking access to justice. A new accomplishment last year: the law firm’s pro bono program also achieved participation by all full-time paralegals. “As a firm, Barclay Damon is deeply committed to our core values, which include providing exceptional pro bono service in our communities. Now to have 100 percent of our talented paralegal corps join our attorneys to serve our pro bono clients is humbling and fills us with pride,” said Corey Auerbach, the firm’s outgoing pro bono partner. “We are determined to continue this level of service to ensure our pro bono clients receive the deserved benefits of our representation.” Jen Leonardi is the firm’s new pro bono partner, effective January 1, 2022. Through its multi-award-winning pro bono program, Barclay Damon dedicated more than 2,500 hours of time valued at more than $800,000 to pro bono efforts in 2021, with attorneys actively participating in firm-sponsored family court clinics, litigating civil rights violations, drafting wills for veterans, assisting with clemency applications, and providing online legal aid through initiatives such as the American Bar Association’s Free Legal Answers program. The firm’s investment in communities across its office platform supported legal matters involving many of today’s critical issues, including immigration, housing, women’s rights, prisoners’ rights, community building, and economic development, among others. Learn more about Barclay Damon’s pro bono program at barclaydamon.com/pro-bono.

Hanson Bridgett LLP in San Francisco has participated in three tenants’ rights clinics hosted by one of its pro bono partner organizations and taken on many new pro bono matters to assist clients in need in the areas of immigration, estate planning, leasing and business advice.