Overview
CHICAGO AND NEW YORK (September 29, 2014) – McDermott Will & Emery is proud to announce its selection to Law360’s exclusive list of “Pro Bono Firms of the Year.” This distinct recognition highlights the outstanding results obtained by McDermott lawyers in resolving significant matters on a pro bono basis.
This year’s selection was extremely competitive with a large number of law firms competing for only twenty coveted spots on the list. “McDermott is truly honored to be among the chosen “Pro Bono Law Firms of the Year,” said Jeffrey E. Stone, Co-Chair of McDermott Will & Emery. “We strongly encourage our lawyers to participate in pro bono initiatives, and it is a Firm priority to ensure that low-income and disadvantaged individuals have access to justice.”
This is the fifth annual publication of the list, which this year profiles law firms that have had the biggest and most significant pro bono wins during the period from June 1, 2013 to June 1, 2014. During this 12-month time span, McDermott’s nine U.S. offices dedicated 92 pro bono hours per lawyer.
“McDermott appreciates the vital need to assist those who are unable to afford legal services,” said Peter J. Sacripanti, Co-Chair of McDermott Will & Emery. “We are very pleased to be recognized for our efforts over the past year, and are committed to expanding our pro bono work in the years to come.”
McDermott partners with key legal aid and charitable organizations to identify matters that will have a significant impact on the communities in which Firm attorneys practice. Through these partnerships, McDermott attorneys provide critical legal services to the underrepresented and disadvantaged across the globe. Below is a small sampling of the pro bono accomplishments that helped secure McDermott a spot on this year’s list of “Pro Bono Firms of the Year”:
- McDermott’s zealous advocacy with firm pro bono partner National Immigrant Justice Center led to a Seventh Circuit decision that fundamentally changed the legal landscape for vulnerable immigrants seeking U-Visas in removal proceedings.
- McDermott won a jury trial on behalf of a prisoner in the Southern District of Texas who brought a Section 1983 civil rights lawsuit against two prison guards for a beating that occurred in a Texas prison in 2008.
- After persuasive Fourth Circuit arguments, McDermott achieved a landmark precedent for mentally ill asylum applicants seeking protection from persecution based on their mental illnesses.
- A pro bono non-profit organization that trains young African-Americans to become competitive sailors was denied the opportunity to compete in the 34th America’s Cup. After the organization’s complaint against the America’s Cup trustee was dismissed by the trial court, McDermott secured a reversal from the State of New York Appellate Division, First Department, and the case was reinstated.
- McDermott successfully obtained a Certificate of Good Conduct on behalf of a rehabilitated client who would otherwise be statutorily barred from employment by financial institutions in the State of Illinois because of a prior conviction.
As a leading international law firm, McDermott is committed to pro bono service on a truly worldwide scale. In 2013, 87 percent, or 956, of McDermott lawyers dedicated 85,000 hours to pro bono and volunteer service worldwide. This past spring, McDermott released its 2013 Social Responsibility Report, which highlighted the Firm’s dedication to pro bono legal work, volunteerism, philanthropy, and the promotion of diversity and environmental stewardship. And in American Lawyers’ 2014 National Pro Bono Rankings McDermott climbed thirteen spots to rank 24th among the 200 firms surveyed.
McDermott is proud of its pro bono recognition and accomplishments, but there is more work to be done. The Firm is committed to continuing to provide high-quality legal assistance to those in need both in the U.S. and abroad.
Please click here to read McDermott’s Law360 “Pro Bono Firm of 2014” profile.
About McDermott Will & EmeryMcDermott Will & Emery is a premier international law firm with a diversified business practice. Numbering more than 1,100 lawyers, we have offices in Boston, Brussels, Chicago, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Miami, Milan, Munich, New York, Orange County, Paris, Rome, Seoul, Silicon Valley and Washington, D.C. Further extending our reach into Asia, we have a strategic alliance with MWE China Law Offices in Shanghai.
© 2014 McDermott Will & Emery LLP. McDermott Will & Emery conducts its practice through separate legal entities in each of the countries where it has offices. This communication may be considered attorney advertising. Previous results are not a guarantee of future outcome.
