Main US office location: We are an international law firm with no main office. THE STATS No. of Attorneys: 4,332 No. of Offices: 90 Global Co-Chairmen: Roger Meltzer and Juan Picón Global Co-Chief Executive Officers: Simon Levine and Cameron Jay Rains Who s Who How many pro bono coordinators and/or partners does the firm have? 5 Please provide the primary pro bono contact(s) s information below. Lisa Dewey Pro Bono Partner; Director, New Perimeter (202) 799-4505 elizabeth.dewey@dlapiper.com Anne Geraghty Helms Director & Counsel, US Pro Bono Programs (312) 368-3966 Anne.helms@dlapiper.com Sara K. Andrews Assistant Director, New Perimeter (617) 406-6032 sara.k.andrews@dlapiper.com Pro Bono website (if different from main site): www.dlapiperprobono.com; www.newperimeter.org Does the firm have a pro bono committee? If so, how often does the committee meet? Quarterly Please describe the composition of the committee (500 character limit): The North American Pro Bono Committee consists of: the firm s pro bono team, which includes five full-time lawyers; partners from each of our US offices, as well as representatives from Mexico and Canada; and certain other partners and associates. In addition to the North American Pro Bono Committee, most offices have a local office pro bono committee, which is led by the local representative of the North American Pro Bono Committee. THE SCOOP Does the 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? evaluates each new matter to ensure it falls within the firm s policy, which generally follows the ABA definition of pro bono. While we encourage every lawyer to take on pro bono that he or she feels passionate about, we also have signature projects, areas of focus and national projects where we focus our efforts. 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 2014? Access to Justice; Asylum; Bankruptcy; Civil rights; Community economic development; Consumer law and small claims court; Death penalty defense; Disability benefits; Domestic violence; Education; Elder law; Employment; 132
Environment; Fair housing/tenants rights; Family law; First Amendment and constitutional issues; HIV/AIDS advocacy; Homeless advocacy; Human Rights; Immigration; Indigent criminal defense; Juvenile justice reform; Legislative Reform;Nonprofit corporate law; Nonprofit incorporation/tax exemptions; Nonprofit intellectual property; Parole hearings; Police misconduct; Prisoners rights; Social security law; Probate law; Public benefits; Real estate transactions; The arts and historic preservation; Veterans benefits/appeals; Voting rights Are there areas of law in which, as a matter of policy or practice, your firm does not perform pro bono work? If so, please indicate the specific areas below. If not, please select none. Medical malpractice List up to 10 of your firm s pro bono clients or partners since 2014, including legal service providers or clearinghouses. Appleseed & many local affiliates Atlanta Volunteer Lawyer s Foundation National Veterans Legal Services Program Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto Ayuda Lawyers Alliance for New York Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program Legal Assistance Foundation (LAF) of Metropolitan Chicago The Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law List up to three pro bono matters/representations that are highlights (e.g., a Supreme Court case). Federal Clemency: When President Obama and the Justice Department announced an initiative to grant clemency to certain non-violent offenders serving disproportionately long prison sentences, the firm moved quickly to become a leader in the national pro bono effort. Led by an internal team that includes former federal prosecutors with deep knowledge of the federal sentencing guidelines, 82 lawyers from across the country have reviewed well over 100 cases of inmates seeking clemency, and have drafted clemency petitions where appropriate. The project, which is unique in that it crosses several different practice groups and offices across the firm, has allowed attorneys to participate in a historic undertaking to help give years back to individuals with unduly harsh prison sentences who would have received lesser sentences if convicted of the same crimes today. DC Affordable Law Firm (DCALF):, Georgetown University Law Center and Arent Fox launched DCALF in 2015. DCALF is a nonprofit law firm pioneering the field of Low Bono. A disproportionally high number of low income individuals go to court without legal representation for civil law issues and are forced to navigate the system alone with potentially negative consequences. DCALF aims to narrow the justice gap by providing high quality legal services at affordable fees to DC residents who cannot afford to pay a lawyer but who do not meet the strict poverty guidelines of traditional legal aid programs. Focusing on housing, family, immigration and small business law issues, this innovative legal services delivery model includes staffing DCALF with six recent Georgetown Law graduates, who participate in a cost-free LLM program, and are supervised by volunteer mentors and advisors from and Arent Fox. Training Women Lawyers in Nepal: On the heels of the election of the first female president in Nepal and the adoption of a new constitution that requires one-third of parliament members to be women, New Perimeter, the firm s nonprofit focused on global pro bono, partnered with a Canadian NGO to empower female lawyers in Nepal. With the aim of creating a critical mass of female leaders who participate in and influence law reform, the partnership provides mentorship, ongoing training and financial support to increase skills, confidence and opportunities for advancement within the legal and justice sectors in Nepal. We sent an international team of women lawyers to Kathmandu to facilitate workshops on ethics and professional responsibility and corporate and commercial law for female Nepalese lawyers. The team co-taught with local lawyers and professors from the Nepal Bar Association and held a one-day workshop on challenges unique to women lawyers BY THE NUMBERS What is the total number of hours that lawyers at your US office(s) spent performing pro bono legal services, as defined by the law firm pro bono challenge, in 2014 and 2015? Do not include summer associate or non-lawyer pro bono hours in your answers. 2014: 105,977 2015: 102,345 What was the attorney headcount in your firm s US office(s)? 2014: 1,373 2015: 1,396 Using the number of attorneys listed above, what is the average number of pro bono hours per attorney in your firm s US office(s) during the following years? 2014: 82 2015: 72 What percentage of attorneys employed in 2014 and 2015 in your firm s US office(s) did at least 20 hours of pro bono work during that calendar year? 2014: 75% 2015: 71% 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. 133
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? If so, are those evaluations taken into account in determining salary or bonuses?, they are taken into account in determining salary and bonuses Are those evaluations taken into account in determining advancement within the firm? Is there a pro bono requirement at your firm? introduced the Krantz Fellowship Program, which allows two associates to dedicate their first year of work at the firm to signature and New Perimeter projects before continuing at the firm as second year associates in their practice groups. Does the firm offer the use of support staff in handling pro bono matters? Please indicate how many total hours and average hours per person your summer associates spent performing pro bono work in 2014 and 2015. Please round to the nearest hour and include numbers only: do not use commas, decimal points or labels. Total hours summer associates spent on pro bono work 2014: 1,218 2015: 1,133 Average hours per summer associate spent on pro bono work 2014: 37 2015: 31 If so, what is the requirement and to whom does it apply? The firm expects every attorney to devote 60-80 hours to pro bono each year. 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? Pro bono work provides tremendous opportunities for training, professional growth and development. It often exposes lawyers to areas of the law outside their standard practice, and most importantly, reinforces a sense of professional responsibility and ethics. s talent management system for associates includes benchmarks to guide skills development and pro bono work is a great tool for helping lawyers reach their benchmarks. We believe that our commitment to pro bono makes a better firm, and we provide many training opportunities and seminars to support and enhance our lawyers work and make their pro bono as impactful as it can be. In 2011, Percentage of summer associates in your firm s U.S. office(s) engaged in pro bono work 2014: 92% 2015: 92% Please provide any additional information about pro bono opportunities available to summer associates. expects each summer associate to do pro bono work and we strive to present summer associates with meaningful opportunities to work on pro bono cases. The following are examples of pro bono work done by summer associates in 2015: New Perimeter Conducted research, including international comparative law research, related to our global pro bono work through New Perimeter, our nonprofit affiliate dedicated to providing long-term pro bono legal assistance in under-served regions around. Individual Analyzed medical records and wrote briefs to prepare Social Security disability appeals. Conducted intake interviews at a homeless shelter once a week and provided legal assistance to shelter clients. Researched claims against a landlord who refused to comply with habitability laws. Nonprofits Provided corporate governance assistance to a local foundation. Domestic Violence 134
Advocated for domestic violence victims seeking protective orders; and worked on a protective order appeal. Immigration Drafted portions of a U Visa application for an immigrant survivor of domestic violence. Helped unaccompanied immigrant children obtain special juvenile immigrant status. Provided assistance to immigrants applying for DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals). Worked on political asylum matters conducting research on country conditions and interviewing clients. Veterans Drafted portions of veteran s benefits applications. Assisted disabled veterans seeking to start their own businesses. Education Assisted with challenges to special education student s Individualized Education Programs. Worked to obtain a proper education for a special education student. In addition, our summer associates helped staff numerous Legal Clinics across the country including: Chicago s Woodlawn neighborhood where lawyers interview and advise clients on issues such as family law, housing, and public benefits; a clinic for individuals recently released from incarceration who need help re-entering society by obtaining driver s licenses, expunging their criminal records, or receiving child support; a clinic to help adults seal their juvenile records Does the firm have established programs, such as externships, that enable its associates to work in a public interest setting? If so, please describe the established program(s) and their duration, if applicable. In 2011, introduced the Krantz Fellowship Program, which allows two associates to dedicate their first year of work at the firm to signature and New Perimeter projects while receiving the same salary as a first year associate. Krantz fellows are selected through a rigorous application process. 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 applicable. participates in a number of law-related public interest activities. Lawyers from across our offices coach moot court and mock trial teams at local law schools. We sponsor two Equal Justice Works fellows as well as a fellow at LAF and Cabrini Green Legal Aid. The Foundation provides financial contributions to nonprofits involved in our signature projects and New Perimeter and the firm overall provides charitable giving to legal service providers and other legal aid organizations across the country. 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. has a strong commitment to supporting and mentoring at-risk youth. Through our national signature project, Advancing Education s Promise, we team with Verizon, in some offices, to participate in Street Law to work with at-risk high school students. Our Chicago office has participated in the Constitutional Rights Foundation program, and we have developed our own set of Know Your Rights presentations for schools in Baltimore. Our national signature project, Serving Those Who Serve Our Country, includes collaborating with our local partner, Veteran s Village of San Diego, on service opportunities like Stand Down, a grassroots three-day community-based intervention program designed to help the nation s estimated 400,000 homeless veterans combat life on the streets. is committed to fighting hunger through our signature project, Feeding The Hungry In Our Global Neighborhood, and works with Feeding America and its affiliates in most cities in which the firm has a presence. Employees volunteer at firm-organized community service events at local food banks. Attorneys, summer associates and staff in almost every city participate in volunteer nights in which they package donated food for distribution to local food pantries or kitchens. Please list special recognition or awards your firm has won in the last three years for its pro bono work. In 2015, received 25 pro bono awards including the: Global Pro Bono Dispute of the Year by The American Lawyer for our pro bono representation of guest immigrant welders and pipefitters from Signal International; Pro Bono Leadership Award from Texas Appleseed for our pro bono support in preparing the legal case challenging the treatment of truancy in Texas as an adult criminal offense; Pro Bono Champion Award from Appleseed and Chicago Appleseed Fund for Justice for her commitment to juvenile and criminal justice issues; Who s Who Legal recognized as one of 10 Leading Law Firms for Pro Bono ; 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. 135
Beacon of Justice Award from the National Legal Aid & Defender Association for pro bono work that has expanded opportunities for those unable to afford counsel through community legal clinics, Legal Services Corporation collaboration, corporate partnerships and New Perimeter; Law Firm of the Year with the La Mancha Award by Casa Cornelia, a nonprofit in San Diego that handles immigration matters; 20/20 Vision Award from the American Bar Association Commission on Domestic & Sexual Violence, given to Mike Bedke (Miami), as one of twenty trailblazers who mobilized the legal profession against domestic and sexual violence. Please add any additional information about your firm s pro bono program. You might want to touch on some of the following issues: firm s pro bono philosophy; procedures for undertaking pro bono; assignments; staffing of pro bono cases; general volunteering opportunities (outside of legal services); salary structure as it relates to pro bono work and billable hours or bonuses; international pro bono; opportunities; pro bono hours by office or region, including overseas. has a longstanding and deep commitment to giving back to our communities. Each of our lawyers is expected to spend time every year providing free legal services to individuals and organizations who cannot otherwise access legal services. This commitment exists at every across the firm, and is ingrained within the firm s culture. The firm has a committed team of lawyers who work full time to help us understand the legal needs of those who cannot afford counsel; develop impactful pro bono projects designed to meet those needs; and ensure that all of our lawyers and staff have opportunities to meaningfully engage. In 2005, the firm also founded New Perimeter, a nonprofit established to provide long-term pro bono legal assistance in under-served regions around the world to support access to justice, social and economic development, and sound legal institutions. Through New Perimeter, our lawyers provide assistance to charitable organizations, governments and academic institutions on projects designed to strengthen a country s legal system; improve the skills of its judges, lawyers and law students; encourage economic growth; promote access to justice and the rule of law; and strengthen women s rights. We send teams of lawyers in-country to work alongside our partners and clients whenever possible. 136