DLA Piper is pleased to announce that the Pro Bono Institute (PBI) selected the firm as this year’s John H. Pickering Award recipient for its outstanding commitment to pro bono service. The award was presented at PBI’s Annual Dinner in New York on November 4.
“We are honored by this recognition of our attorneys’ dedication to pro bono service and the communities DLA Piper serves around the globe,” said Lee Miller, Joint Chief Executive Officer of DLA Piper, who accepted the award on the firm’s behalf. “DLA Piper’s pro bono program will continue to evolve to meet the changing needs of these communities. We look forward to ongoing collaborations with our clients and organizations like the Pro Bono Institute as we work together to push the envelope of pro bono services through our series of signature projects and New Perimeter.”
Given annually by PBI, the Pickering Award honors the memory of John H. Pickering, a distinguished appellate lawyer known for his commitment to pro bono and public interest law. DLA Piper was recognized for its exceptional pro bono culture, including its global pro bono initiatives and signature projects developed in partnership with nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, foundations and the firm’s corporate clients.
“Seeing a firm that embraces pro bono work in the way that DLA Piper has, both in the United States and abroad, is incredibly inspiring,” said Esther Lardent, President and CEO of the Pro Bono Institute. “The firm’s New Perimeter project, specifically dedicated to global pro bono, has positioned the firm as a leader that is making a difference worldwide.”
Through New Perimeter, DLA Piper’s non-profit affiliate dedicated exclusively to global pro bono work, DLA Piper addresses critical issues in developing and post-conflict countries. New Perimeter is the only law firm non-profit entity focused on global pro bono work and allows attorneys from DLA Piper’s offices around the world to provide legal assistance on a diverse series of projects in such areas as rule of law, human rights, economic development, hunger relief and supporting legal education in developing and post-conflict countries. During its initial five years, New Perimeter has undertaken projects in a number of African countries, the Balkans and Latin America.
In the United States, DLA Piper’s signature pro bono projects are designed to commit significant resources to tackle systematic issues. These projects aim to develop innovative solutions to vexing social problems including education, hunger relief, juvenile justice, access to justice, domestic violence, serving veterans, and heirs’ property issues. DLA Piper’s largest signature project, Advancing Education’s Promise, is comprised of multiple education-focused initiatives designed to advance the development of Promise Neighborhoods in communities across the country under an ambitious new federal program. This program is modeled after the Harlem Children’s Zone and aims to create communities that provide children with a comprehensive set of supports to overcome all barriers of urban education.
About DLA Piper (www.dlapiper.com)
DLA Piper has 3,500 attorneys in 30 countries and 69 offices throughout the US, UK, Continental Europe, Middle East and Asia. In certain jurisdictions, this information may be considered attorney advertising.
About the Pro Bono Institute (www.probonoinst.org/)
Established in 1996, PBI is a non-profit organization with a mandate to explore and identify new approaches to the poor and disadvantaged unable to secure legal assistance to address critical problems. In doing so, PBI identifies and develops innovative programs and undertakes rigorous evaluations to ensure that these new approaches are workable and effective. PBI administers a number of projects designed to enhance access to justice, including: the Law Firm Pro Bono Project®, Corporate Pro BonoSM, Second Acts®, Global Pro Bono, and Public Interest Pro Bono.
