DLA Piper is pleased to announce that the District of Columbia Bar (D.C. Bar) selected the firm as the recipient of its 2016 Pro Bono Law Firm of the Year Award. DLA Piper was recognized for its exemplary service to low-income individuals in Washington, DC, at an awards dinner on June 15, 2016, at the Mayflower Hotel.
In 2015, lawyers in DLA Piper’s Washington, DC, office devoted nearly 15,000 hours to pro bono work, including hosting legal clinics and providing other support for survivors of domestic violence, veterans and families in danger of losing their homes. With access to justice a key pillar of the firm’s pro bono efforts, DLA Piper was involved in several initiatives in 2015 to support individuals and organizations. This includes working alongside the Legal Services Corporation to develop an approach to using pro bono to quell the access to justice crisis in the US and with the D.C. Access to Justice Commission on a ground-breaking report examining the civil legal needs of the district’s low-income community. DLA Piper also helped create the DC Affordable Law Firm, a first-of-its-kind nonprofit that provides legal services to residents who do not qualify for free legal aid but cannot otherwise afford a lawyer.
“DLA Piper’s pro bono program has long focused on improving access to justice in the communities in which we live and work,” said Lisa Dewey, US pro bono partner at DLA Piper and director of New Perimeter. “We are proud of the efforts of our lawyers in the nation’s capital and around the globe who help ensure the safety, security and livelihood of those who cannot afford legal counsel. We are also privileged to work with several wonderful and dedicated legal service providers and organizations in our community whose support and friendship help make our pro bono work possible.”
“It is an honor to be recognized by the D.C. Bar for our office’s commitment to pro bono service,” said Mary Gately, managing partner of DLA Piper's Washington, DC, office. “I continue to be amazed by the dedication of our attorneys who have taken on cases, both big and small, and participated in numerous pro bono initiatives that have made a meaningful impact on individuals and organizations in our community.”
In addition to the Legal Services Corporation and D.C. Access to Justice Commission, DLA Piper’s Washington, DC, office collaborates with several local organizations serving the community that also recommended the firm for this award, including the DC Appleseed, Capital Area Food Bank, Children's Law Center and the Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia.
About DLA Piper (www.dlapiper.com)
DLA Piper is a global law firm located in more than 30 countries throughout Africa, the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East, positioning it to help companies with their legal needs around the world. In certain jurisdictions, this information may be considered attorney advertising.
About New Perimeter (http://www.newperimeter.com)
New Perimeter is a nonprofit organization established by global law firm DLA Piper to provide pro bono legal assistance in under-served regions around the world to support access to justice, social and economic development and sound legal institutions. Founded in 2005 as a result of our firm’s commitment to support legal advancement worldwide, New Perimeter’s vision is to harness the skills and talents of DLA Piper lawyers to further a more just world for all.
