1722 Routh Street Suite 1500 Dallas, Texas 75201 Phone: 214.969.1700 www.tklaw.com locations Dallas, TX (HQ) Austin, TX Detroit, MI Fort Worth, TX Houston, TX Los Angeles, CA New York, NY Algiers London Monterrey Paris THE STATS. of Attorneys: 317. of Offices: 11 Managing Partner: Emily A. Parker Hiring Partner(s): David C. Schulte EMPLOYMENT CONTACT Lauren Shipley Recruiting Manager Phone: (214) 969-1180 Email: Lauren.Shipley@tklaw.com MAJOR DEPARTMENTS & PRACTICES Bankruptcy and Restructuring Climate Change/Renewable Energy Corporate and Securities Employment and Labor Environmental Finance Government Relations and Public Policy Healthcare Information Management and E-Discovery Solutions Intellectual Property International Energy Oil, Gas, and Energy Real Estate and Banking Tax Law Technology Trial and Appellate 612 2012 Vault.com Inc.
Who s Who Does the firm have one or more pro bono coordinators and/or partners? If so, how many? 1 For each of your pro bono coordinators and/or partners, please specify how much of his/her time is spent on pro bono work and/ or administering the firm s pro bono program. Pro Bono Coordinator/Partner 1 Less than half of his/her time Please provide the primary pro bono contact(s) s information below. John R. Cohn Partner Phone: (214) 969-1420 Email: John.Cohn@tklaw.com Does the firm have a pro bono committee? How often does the committee meet? The Firm s Committee meets on an as needed basis. Please describe the composition of the committee. The Firm s Pro Bono Committee is made up of partners in various offices. THE SCOOP Does your firm have a written pro bono policy? Can associates bring pro bono matters of interest to the firm? How does the firm decide whether to take on a pro bono matter? Under general business intake principles and on whether the matter meets the definition of pro bono activity under state or ABA definitions. Has the firm signed on to the Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge? What are some of the areas of law in which your firm has performed pro bono legal work since 2010? Bankruptcy, Fair housing/tenants rights, Family law, Immigration, Indigent criminal defense, nprofit corporate law, nprofit incorporation/tax exemptions, nprofit intellectual property, Probate law, Real estate transactions Are there areas of law in which, as a matter of policy or practice, your firm does not perform pro bono work? List up to 10 of your firm s pro bono clients or partners since 2010, including legal service providers or clearinghouses. Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program Legal Aid of rthwest Texas Housing Crisis Center Houston Bar Association Legal Line Texas C-BAR Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas East Dallas Legal Clinic West Dallas Legal Clinic Texas Lawyers for Texas Veterans Clinic List up to three representative examples of your firm s pro bono matters since 2010. Please limit your answer to a short paragraph per matter. South Dallas Legal Clinic: The Firm s secretaries and legal assistants assist low-income individuals by performing interviews and checking paperwork to ensure that the persons requesting assistance fall within the SDLC s guidelines. Once eligibility is established, our attorneys provide legal expertise to help address problems. Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas: The Firm assists low-income individuals by providing volunteer attorneys to handle matters and by supporting and training attorneys for participation. Criminal Law Appointments: We actively pursue pro bono appointments representing prisoners at trial regarding alleged violations of their constitutional rights. List up to three pro bono matters that are highlights (e.g., a Supreme Court case). Please limit your answer to a short paragraph per matter. In the case of Kordek v. Blood-N-Fire Foundation, Dallas, et al., we represented the Blood-N-Fire Foundation and related parties, including Ronald Furrow. Mr. Furrow drove the Plaintiffs to Mexico to deliver food and clothing to a Mexican church. On the return trip, he lost control of the vehicle, and Plaintiffs suffered serious injuries. They sued the Blood-N-Fire entities asserting the trip to Mexico was church-sponsored and thus they were negligent in failing to properly plan and supervise the trip. Over a three year span, we filed multiple briefs, including an assertion that the First Amendment prohibited the court from intruding on matters involving church governance and administration. On the eve of trial, we learned of a clear conflict of interest Visit www.vault.com for company rankings, ratings and reviews to learn what it s really like to work in an industry or company and how to position yourself to land that job. 613
in representing the Defendants. We advised the court and assisted Blood-N-Fire in obtaining new counsel. Despite this unfortunate development, we feel confident that the Defendants will be absolved of any liability. Blessings for Buckholts (fka Amazing Grace Thrift Shop): Blessings for Buckholts runs a Thrift Store in Buckholts, Texas, and uses all of the proceeds to support the low-income or disadvantaged individuals in the Buckholts community. In addition, Blessings for Buckholts seeks to encourage community service in the community and has established a scholarship awarded to an individual that has shown an exceptional commitment to the community. Blessings for Buckholts is able to do all of these activities entirely from the volunteer work of a few inspirational individuals. We assisted them in revising their entity documents and obtaining 501(c)(3) exempt status. By virtue of our efforts, Blessings for Buckholts received a determination letter from the IRS granting exempt status on May 8, 2012. We also assisted the organization with obtaining exemption from state franchise and sales taxes from the Texas Comptroller. For more than 15 years, the Firm has provided monthly staffing for the tenant workshop of the Housing Crisis Center, providing the full range of legal advice to Dallas-area tenants. Thompson & Knight sponsors the second Wednesday of every month, and our attorneys also participate on days not sponsored by the Firm. BY THE NUMBERS What is the total number of hours that lawyers at your U.S. office(s) spent performing pro bono legal services, as defined by the Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge, in 2010 and 2011? Do not include summer associate or non-lawyer pro bono hours in your answers. Total number of pro bono hours in 2010: 4,806 Total number of pro bono hours in 2011: 3,364 What was the attorney headcount in your firm s U.S. offices? Number of attorneys as of December 31, 2010: 272 Number of attorneys as of December 31, 2011: 261 Using the number of attorneys listed above, what is the average number of pro bono hours per attorney in your firm s U.S. office(s) during the following years? Average number of hours per attorney in 2010: 18 Average number of hours per attorney in 2011: 13 What percentage of attorneys employed during 2010 and 2011 in your firm s U.S. office(s) did at least 20 hours of pro bono during that calendar year? Percentage of attorneys who did pro bono work in 2010: 21 30% Percentage of attorneys who did pro bono work in 2011: 21 30% SUPERVISION AND EVALUATIONS Is there partner supervision on all pro bono matters? Do partner supervisors or, if applicable, senior associates provide written evaluations of associates work on pro bono matters? Are those evaluations taken into account in determining salary or bonuses?, they are taken into account when determining salary Are those evaluations taken into account in determining advancement within the firm? Is there a pro bono requirement at your firm? Does the firm give billable hour credit for pro bono work? Does the firm have a maximum number of pro bono hours that can be applied toward the billable hour target? Does the firm consider pro bono hours when determining bonuses? PRO BONO POINTS What training opportunities are open to associates working on pro bono matters? On occasion, the Firm hosts pro bono training, such as a lunch-time session on landlord-tenant law provided by the in-house counsel of the Housing Crisis Center. The Firm also presents an annual session to new attorneys on community involvement, which includes a discussion of the firm s pro bono policy and examples of different pro bono experiences of our attorneys. In addition the Firm keeps attorneys apprised of training opportunities offered by the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program and similar programs. Does the firm offer the use of support staff in handling pro bono matters? 614 2012 Vault.com Inc.
Please indicate how many total hours and average hours per person your summer associates spent performing pro bono in 2010 and 2011. Total hours summer associates spent on pro bono work 2010: 70 2011: 21 Average hours per summer associate spent on pro bono work 2010: 8.75 2011: 5 Percentage of summer associates in your firm s U.S. office(s) engaged in pro bono work 2010: 50% 2011: 21% Please provide any additional information about pro bono opportunities available to summer associates. Summer associates are invited to participate in all Firm related pro bono matters but do not record their pro bono time. Does the firm have established programs, such as externships, that enable its associates to work in a public interest setting? Please describe the established program(s) and their duration, if applicable. The Firm has an internship program with the Dallas County District Attorney s office. Up to two associates each year spend three months working as a prosecutor. The associate s billable hour requirement for the year is prorated to account for the three-month leave. What other law-related public interest and community service programs (that are not pro bono as defined by the Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge) do you offer and manage? For example, list any law school collaborations and public interest scholarships, auctions at law schools, monetary support, or fellowships. Through the years, the Firm has engaged in a number of activities reflecting our commitment to community. We have built houses for Habitat for Humanity, organized clothing drives for victims of natural disasters, and participated in various fundraising activities for organizations such as Court Appointed Special Advocate Association (CASA), the March of Dimes, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), the YMCA, and Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The Firm was also a sponsor of the 2010 Parade of Playhouses benefiting Dallas CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), an organization that recruits and trains volunteer advocates to speak for child victims of abuse and neglect in the Dallas County District Juvenile and Family Courts. Dallas Summer Associates participated on construction of a playhouse which was auctioned off at the 2010 Parade of Playhouses. In its 14th year, the event raised public awareness about child abuse, the plight of children in foster care in Dallas County, and ways to help. Funds raised by the playhouses help train and supervise volunteers who advocate for abused and neglected children in the protective care of the courts. In addition, Thompson & Knight continues to support Southern Methodist University s advocacy program. A Firm attorney coached a successful moot court team at SMU Dedman School of Law. Through the Thompson & Knight Foundation, we lend financial support each year to hundreds of civic and charitable organizations promoting diversity, the arts, education, the elderly, health care, youth mentoring, and other similarly focused programs. The success of the Foundation, formed more than 20 years ago, is immeasurable. Thompson & Knight, via the Thompson & Knight Foundation, is a sponsor of The University of Texas Law School Women s Power Summit on Law and Leadership. The Summit is a special gathering of women general counsel, managing partners and law firm chairs, law school deans, leading academics on gender equity, Federal Circuit Court judges, state Supreme Court Chief Justices, attorneys general, and heads of major nonprofit legal organizations and bar associations. The Summit s principal objective is to signal a collective intention and public commitment to work together to advance gender diversity and equality in the legal profession and endorse concrete initiatives to accomplish this goal. The Summit will begin a powerful movement to have women at the very top of their professions publicly support efforts to remove the pervasive and persistent barriers to the full opportunity, achievement, and success of women lawyers. In 2011, the Firm, through its foundation, provided $795,735 in support of charitable, educational, and cultural activities. Thompson & Knight s support includes funding academic scholarships of four graduating students from Booker T. Washington School for the Visual and Performing Arts, the nationally renowned arts magnet school for the Dallas Independent School District, and further supporting the school by displaying student art in Thompson & Knight s Dallas office. The Firm also encourages and supports involvement with organizations that focus on the advancement and inclusion of ethnically diverse individuals and women in the legal community. What non-law related volunteer opportunities does your firm offer? For example, list any work with high school students and non-legal volunteerism for organizations like Habitat for Humanity. An example of our commitment to the community is our involvement with Habitat for Humanity. In coordination with the Dallas Bar Association s Habitat House build efforts, the Firm sponsors a build day annually. The Firm is committed to contributing to programs that benefit women and children of all ages and aid them in the Visit www.vault.com for company rankings, ratings and reviews to learn what it s really like to work in an industry or company and how to position yourself to land that job. 615
fulfillment of their full potential. Thompson & Knight s Women s Initiative Group organized a Christmas for Kids program benefiting the children at the YWCA Garland Child Care Center, a Dallas-area organization that serves 79 children ranging in age from 6 weeks to 12 years old. The Firm personally delivered gifts for each child and gave the YWCA several larger items for their Center as well as toys for all of the children to enjoy. Thompson & Knight has contributed to March of Dimes Walk America in Dallas for the last 15 years. The Firm s attorneys lead the initiative, organize a team, and raise pledges and awareness on behalf of the organization. In 2011, Thompson & Knight raised more than $10,000 for the March of Dimes. The Firm is a Guild Member of Dress for Success Houston, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the economic independence of disadvantaged women by supplying career development tools and helping women find a job and remain employed. In addition to financial support, our staff organizes suit drives to collect professional interview attire for women and assists with staffing and coordination of various fundraising activities throughout the year. Thompson & Knight is a repeat sponsor of the Dallas Women s Foundation (DWF) Annual Luncheon, their single largest fundraising event, ensuring that the Foundation is able to continue delivering services in concert with their mission for the advancement of women. DWF, a grant-making organization, raises funds to promote women s philanthropy and invest in community programs that address the unique needs of women and girls. The DWF provides the Firm a unique opportunity to support a multitude of grass-roots organizations similarly focused on positively impacting females. Thompson & Knight s Women s Initiative Group regularly sponsors and supports GENaustin, a girl s empowerment network. GENaustin s mission is to foster healthy self-esteem in girls by engaging them to explore and define their personal values and to build skills that empower them with confidence and courage to make wise choices. Thompson & Knight attorneys mentor participants and plan and sponsor meetings to encourage interaction. Thompson & Knight is the transportation sponsor of the Irma Rangel Young Women s Leadership School s annual visit to NASA s Johnson Space Center. Irma Rangel is an all-girls public school in the Dallas Independent School District serving an extremely diverse population, with 85% of its students being racial minorities. Thompson & Knight is the sole diversity partner of the Junior League of Dallas, an organization of women committed to promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of women, and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. The Firm s role in this partnership is to assist the organization with the diversification of its membership, which will in turn benefit the recipients of the League s voluntary service. Please list any special recognition or awards your firm has won since 2010 for its pro bono work. Thompson & Knight is honored to have been selected as the 2012 Corporate Citizen of the Year by the Rotary Club of Dallas and D-CEO magazine. This award is given to a Dallas organization that best exhibits the Rotary motto Service Above Self. To be considered for this award, corporations must demonstrate an outstanding commitment to charitable and volunteer efforts throughout the Dallas community. Thompson & Knight received the Bronze Award for Pro Bono Service from the Dallas Bar Association s Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program in both 2010 and 2009. Thompson & Knight was named the 2009 Outstanding Medium Law Firm of the Year by the Legal Aid of rthwest Texas Equal Justice Volunteer Program. Thompson & Knight was an honoree at the 2009 Judge Suzanne Covington Pro Bono Services Awards for the Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas. Please add any additional information about your firm s pro bono program. Pro bono and other community service activities are an important professional responsibility. Thompson & Knight s pro bono program benefits the public, the individuals we serve, and the development of our lawyers skills and sense of professional and public service. Our pro bono program provides assistance to those in our community who cannot otherwise afford legal services. In 2003, Thompson & Knight was honored with the Firm of the Year for Extraordinary Pro Bono Service Award at the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program Annual Pro Bono Awards and Volunteer Recognition Event. In addition, our Firm was recognized as the 2000 Outstanding Volunteer of the Year in the Small Business category by the Volunteer Center of Dallas County for the firm s continuous pro bono service to the Housing Crisis Center. The Housing Crisis Center (HCC) in Dallas is dedicated to preventing homelessness and stabilizing families, the elderly, and the disabled in decent, affordable, permanent housing. Clients who attend these workshops require legal assistance to avoid wrongful evictions or to have their utilities restored. Our attorneys and other personnel staff this clinic once a month. The Volunteer Center of Dallas County has acknowledged the Firm for its work with the HCC. The Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program has awarded the Firm five pro bono awards for the significant hours we spend in support of the South Dallas Legal Clinic (SDLC). The SDLC is a clinic for people who fall below the poverty guidelines. Thompson & Knight secretaries and legal assistants perform interviews and check paperwork to ensure that the persons requesting assistance fall within the SDLC s guidelines. Once eligibility is established, our attorneys visit with the individuals, providing legal expertise to help address problems. The New York City Bankruptcy Assistance Project (NYC BAP) was launched by the Legal Services of New York (LSNY) in response to the passage of the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005, which made it more 616 2012 Vault.com Inc.
difficult for consumers to obtain relief from debts through bankruptcy. Through NYC BAP, firms throughout New York City help low-wage workers file bankruptcy petitions in order to stabilize their lives and help them remain in the workforce. The LSNY has awarded a Thompson & Knight attorney with a 2007 Pro Bono Service Award for his work on the NYC BAP Steering Committee. The Firm was also a Gold Supporter of the program with a contribution of $10,000 or more. In 2008, the Firm once again handled one or more contested matters for The New York City Bankruptcy Assistance Program (NYC BAP), and continued as Gold Supporter of the program with a contribution of $10,000 or more. In 2009, the firm continued supporting NYC BAP as a Silver Supporter with a contribution of $5,000 or more. In addition to the few examples mentioned above, our pro bono legal work ranges from staffing legal clinics to the handling of adoption cases and from representing nonprofit organizations to handling death penalty cases. Because we believe that we have a professional responsibility to assure that the disadvantaged have access to our legal system, a substantial portion of our pro bono work is for the poor and underprivileged. We approach pro bono clients with the same service commitment that we give to our other clients. Visit www.vault.com for company rankings, ratings and reviews to learn what it s really like to work in an industry or company and how to position yourself to land that job. 617