We’re proud of the pro bono work we do, grateful for the opportunity to do it, and honored to receive this recognition.
2011
Legal Services for Children-San Francisco
Legal Services for Children honors outstanding pro bono attorneys and firms who support pro bono work each year. In 2011 Davis Wright Tremaine was one of six law firms so recognized.
Society of Professional Journalists, Northern California Chapter
Duffy Carolan, a partner in the firm’s media practice group, was honored as a champion of the First Amendment by the Society of Professional Journalists, Northern California Chapter. Duffy received the Legal Counsel Award for her 20 years of representing journalists and news organizations, defending defamation lawsuits, advocating for the release of public records, and protecting journalists against compelled disclosure of unpublished materials. Read an interview with Duffy about her work here.
2010
Legal Services for the Homeless
Seattle associate Michael Gentile received a thank-you note from a client who came to the firm through the King County Bar Association's Legal Services for the Homeless. The client owed taxes to the government, and Michael negotiated with the IRS to get the taxes reduced. The client wrote:
“Thank you very much for helping me with all my IRS issues … Not knowing how I was going to pay this and afraid of being in trouble with the government, I appreciate you filling out my paperwork and getting me through the legal process. I have made two payments, have gotten a part time job to help with the others, and am ready to finish school and get a job and work.”
Medical-Legal Partnership for Children
Rich Rawson, a partner in our Seattle office, received thanks from the Medical-Legal Partnership for Children, for whose clients he provides immigration assistance:
“We are grateful for your generosity and willingness to give your time and legal expertise for people who face considerable challenges in their lives. Having someone like you on their side makes all the difference. We appreciate you and all you do for our children, families and community.”
Oregon State Bar
The New Lawyers Division of the Oregon State Bar honored DWT’s Portland office with its Pro Bono Award in the “large firm” category.
Puget Sound Association of Legal Administrators
The Puget Sound chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators (PSALA) presented its annual “Achievements in Diversity Award” for law firms with more than 50 attorneys to DWT. PSALA honored DWT for its firmwide Veterans Day panel discussion hosted by the firm’s diversity and pro bono programs. DWT provides pro bono assistance to several veteran’s service organizations.
2010 Outstanding Corporate Partner, Community Action of Washington County
Community Action of Washington County, Ore., named Davis Wright Tremaine its 2010 Outstanding Corporate Partner. Portland partner-in-charge Carol Bernick accepted the award on the firm’s behalf. Community Action of Washington County is “dedicated to eliminating poverty one family at a time.”
Legal Services for Children-San Francisco Honors Gabrielle Goldstein
Legal Services for Children-San Francisco (LSC-SF) named San Francisco associate Gabrielle Goldstein a recipient of its 2010 Pro Bono Advocate Awards in honor of her immigration-related work for youth in 2009. LSC-SF provides legal and social work services for children and youth in the San Francisco Bay Area. The organization coordinates the work of 200 attorneys who represent youth on a pro bono basis in guardianship, school discipline and immigration cases.
King County Dependency CASA Names Nick Verwolf Volunteer of the Year
King County (Wash.) Dependency CASA named Bellevue partner Nick Verwolf Pro Bono Volunteer of the Year. Since 2008, Nick has represented five Court Appointed Special Advocates as they appear on behalf of neglected or abused children in dependency hearings or parental rights termination trials.
Praise From Lawyers Serving Warriors
Lawyers Serving Warriors, a project of the National Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLSP), is a long-time pro bono client of Davis Wright Tremaine. Our attorneys provide legal assistance to veterans who are seeking medical coverage for service-related physical or psychological disabilities.
Lauren Giles-Wishnie, an associate in our Seattle office, received praise recently from NVLSP. A case coordinator at the organization’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., wrote, "Ms. Wishnie provided comprehensive assistance to [her client] at a time he was experiencing great crisis ... Most extraordinary of all, she was so successful in increasing [her client’s] overall VA rating that she was able to submit (with success, we hear) an additional claim for Total Disability for Individual Unemployability (TDIU). The screening attorney in the case had not recommended making a claim for TDIU because he felt it was unlikely the rating would be increased enough to make the claim. A show of initiative in an area of law new to the attorney approximates bravery!"
NVLSP published this article about Lauren’s work for the client. Read more about work Davis Wright Tremaine has done for Lawyers Serving Warriors here.
Outside In “Seeds of Kindness” Award
Outside In, a social service agency for homeless youth, presented this award to Davis Wright Tremaine in recognition of the pro bono legal services we provide to Outside In’s clients through a weekly legal services clinic.
Homeless Volunteers of the Month, King County (Wash.) Bar Association
Partner Jim Judson and executive assistant Mary Dougherty, both of our Seattle office, were named “Legal Services for the Homeless Volunteers of the Month” by the King County (Wash.) Bar Association in February 2010 for their advocacy on behalf of a young man needing his Texas criminal misdemeanor record expunged. The 24-year-old man, now in Seattle, could not get a job or housing because, although he had completed the terms of his sentence, his new location and financial straits prevented him from getting his criminal record expunged, as he was eligible to do. Judson and Dougherty, in concert with another volunteer attorney in Texas, got the man’s record cleared.
2009
Mercy Corps 2009 Humanitarian Hero Award
Mercy Corps, one of the world’s leading relief and development organizations, recognized Davis Wright Tremaine partner Robert D. Newell with its highest honor, the 2009 Humanitarian Hero Award. Newell serves on the board of directors for Mercy Corps, where he’s contributed in many roles—including as chair—since joining the board in the early 1980s. He provides essential pro bono legal services to the organization and inspires many of his colleagues at Davis Wright Tremaine to do the same. More information
AmLaw Top 100 Firms for Pro Bono
For the first time, Davis Wright Tremaine was listed in American Lawyer's Top 100 in the pro bono category (ranking No. 99). San Francisco partner Duffy Carolan's work on the Chauncey Bailey Project is featured in AmLaw's look inside the firms that made the list. Read it here.
Puget Sound Business Journal's Corporate Philanthropists List
Davis Wright Tremaine received a 9th place ranking out of 25 medium-sized companies in the Puget Sound Business Journal's Corporate Philanthropists list. Many of our clients were also ranked in this survey, and we are honored to be recognized alongside them. Our total firmwide in-kind pro bono giving in 2008 was $7.25 million.
Jewish Family Service 2009 Outstanding Service Award
Jewish Family Service of Seattle presented Davis Wright Tremaine with a JFS 2009 Outstanding Service Award for its work assisting Holocaust survivors obtain reparations from the German government. Attorneys Rachel Dobrow Stone, Ross Boundy, Evan Shapiro, Cameron Cohen, Katie Rosen, and Rich Elliott, and paralegals Heather Michaud, Jason Andre, Jennifer Chermoshnyuk, Cathy Braun, and Lonna Beebe, assisted six Holocaust survivors with their claims.
9th Circuit Pro Bono Program
The 9th Circuit Pro Bono Program recognized Davis Wright Tremaine as one of two firms in the Northwest for work on behalf of that court's Pro Bono Program at a reception that about a dozen of the court's judges attended.
2008
Washington Appleseed’s 2008 Award for Pro Bono Service
Davis Wright Tremaine and partner Michele Radosevich received the Washington Appleseed 2008 Award for Pro Bono Service honoring their work supporting the Working Families Credit legislation in Washington.
2008 Firm of the Year Pro Bono Award, Alaska Bar Association
Partner Bob Stewart, who for years has been the driving force behind the Anchorage office’s pro bono contributions, accepted this award on the firm’s behalf.
2008 Public Counsel's Volunteer of the Year Award
Associate Karen Henry was honored for her work on the Early Care and Education Law Project, providing free legal assistance to existing and/or potential family child care providers and child care centers.
2007
2007 Judge David Soukup Award, King County (Wash.) Dependency CASA
This award, presented to members of the legal community who have assisted the Dependency CASA Program, honored several Davis Wright Tremaine volunteers.
2007 Beacon of Justice Award, National Legal Aid & Defender Association
Partners Bud Walsh and Rick Cys and Davis Wright Tremaine were among the lawyers and law firms honored for providing pro bono services to Guantanamo detainees despite public criticism.
2007 Frederick Douglass Awards
The Southern Center for Human Rights recognized Davis Wright Tremaine and all lawyers for Guantanamo Bay detainees at the 2007 Frederick Douglass Awards Dinner. The award is given to those in the legal profession who have taken on extraordinary, difficult and demanding cases, and in the process, made outstanding contributions to the protection of human rights.
Washington Appleseed's 2007 Innovator Award
Managing partner Dave Baca and associate Laura Baumann accepted the award for pro bono work they and others did to help develop a new form of low-cost housing bond financing for the YWCA.
2007 King County Bar Association Volunteer of the Year
Partner Chris Helm was honored for his work on behalf of homeless clients through Legal Services for the Homeless.
2007 Pro Bono Award, Washington Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association
The award honored partner Chris Helm and Davis Wright Tremaine.
2006
2006 CPBO Pro Bono Partner Award
Corporate Pro Bono honored Davis Wright Tremaine for our commitment to immigrant justice. We shared the award with Microsoft, Volunteer Advocates for Immigrant Justice and other law firms.
2006 Wiley W. Manuel Award for Pro Bono Legal Services
The award recognized associate Karen Henry for her contribution of more than 50 hours, devoted mainly to a difficult guardianship case.
2006 National Federation of Paralegal Associations' Individual Pro Bono Award
The award honored Julie Orr, our pro bono coordinator, for her contributions and dedication.
2006 Oregon State Bar President's Public Service Award
The Oregon State Bar honored partner Bob Newell for his work for Mercy Corps and other community and legal involvement. |