PRO BONO: An Integral Part of Fried Frank’s · PDF filePRO BONO: An Integral Part of...

PRO BONO:An Integral Part of Fried Frank’s Culture

We regard pro bono work as an opportunity to give back to our community and shine as lawyers. Our long tradition of pro bono service extends across all of our practices. At every level, from partner to summer associate, we apply the same exacting standards to pro bono representations as to everything we do.

New York | Washington DC | London | Paris | Frankfurt | friedfrank.com

Who’s WhoHow many pro bono coordinators and/or partners does the firm have? 2

Please provide the primary pro bono contact(s)’s information below.Jennifer L. Colyer Special Counsel (212) 859-8285 [email protected] Approximate percentage of his/her time spent on pro bono work/administering pro bono program: 100%

Karen T. Grisez Special Counsel (202) 639-7043 [email protected] Approximate percentage of his/her time spent on pro bono work/administering pro bono program: 100%

Does the firm have a pro bono committee?Yes

If so, how often does the committee meet?Quarterly

Please describe the composition of the committee:Partners and associates from the New York and Washington, DC offices, and the two pro bono special counsel (one resident in each of those offices).

ThE sCooPDoes the firm have a written pro bono policy?Yes

Can associates bring pro bono matters of interest to the firm?Yes

How does the firm decide whether to take on a pro bono matter? We consider the nature of the client for pro bono program eligibility purposes, and the nature of the matter to ensure that it can be staffed and supervised appropriately.

Has the firm signed on to the law firm pro bono challenge?Yes

What are some of the areas of law in which your firm has performed pro bono legal work since 2014?Asylum; Bankruptcy; Civil rights; Community economic development; Disability benefits; Domestic violence; Education; Elder law; Environment; Fair housing/tenants rights; Family law; First Amendment and constitutional issues; Immigration; Indigent criminal defense; International human rights; Nonprofit corporate law; Nonprofit incorporation/tax exemptions; Nonprofit intellectual property; Prisoners’ rights; 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.”None

List up to 10 of your firm’s pro bono clients or partners since 2014, including legal service providers or clearinghouses.• Human Rights First

• Lawyers Alliance for New York

• The NY Legal Aid Society

• Her Justice

• Start Small Think Big

Fried, Frank, Harris, sHriver & Jacobson LLP

Main Us offiCE loCaTion: one new York Plazanew York, nY 10004www.friedfrank.com(212) 859-8000

ThE sTaTsno. of attorneys: 412no. of offices: 5Chairman: David J. Greenwald

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Vault Guide to Law Firm Pro Bono Programs, 2017 Edition

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP

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• CAIR Coalition

• Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs

• Children’s Law Center

• D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center

• Maryland Office of the Public Defender

List up to three pro bono matters/representations that are highlights (e.g., a Supreme Court case). 1. Pinelands Preservation Alliance amicus brief

Fried Frank was retained by three former New Jersey Governors—Whitman, Byrne, and Florio—to represent them as amici to the New Jersey Appeals Court in a case involving the New Jersey Pinelands. The firm represented the Governors, who appeared as amici curiae, and presented oral argument before the New Jersey Appellate Division in a successful effort to persuade the Court to remand a plan by South Jersey Gas (“Proposed Pipeline Plan”) to the New Jersey Pinelands Commission (“Commission”) for further review. The case arose out of a December 2015 order by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (“BPU”) approving the Proposed Pipeline Plan in reliance on an opinion of the Commission’s Executive Director that the project complied with the Pinelands Comprehensive Management Plan (“CMP”). Concerned that the Proposed Pipeline Plan had been approved in violation of the New Jersey law, the Pinelands Preservation Alliance and Sierra Club appealed the BPU’s approval to the Appellate Division.

On November 7, 2016, the Appellate Division issued its opinion finding that the BPU erroneously approved the Pipeline Plan by improperly relying on the opinion of the Commission’s Executive Director rather than obtaining a determination by the full Commission board as to whether the project complies with the CMP.

In making its decision and remanding the case, the Appellate Division affirmed the main arguments presented by the former Governors’ in their amicus brief and at oral argument; namely that (a) the Commission has the sole authority to review applications for development projects in the Pinelands, (b) the full Commission board must review Pinelands development projects that span multiple municipalities, and (c) the BPU’s reliance on the Commission’s Executive Director’s opinion regarding the Proposed Pipeline Plan’s conformance with the CMP was improper.

2. National Abortion Federation Files Amicus Brief to US Supreme Court

Fried Frank acted as counsel to the National Abortion Federation (NAF) and several of its members in Texas and neighboring states in its amici curiae brief to the United States Supreme Court, in the landmark Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt case. In Whole Women’s Health, the Court reversed the decision of the Fifth Circuit and held a 2013 Texas law that created a number of new abortion regulations, known as H.B.2, unconstitutional. Before the

Supreme Court decided the appeal, H.B.2’s effects were disastrous for women in Texas. More than half of Texas’ abortion facilities had closed, and, but for an emergency stay from the Supreme Court following the Fifth Circuit’s decision, that number would have been reduced to single digits. Because of this, many women in Texas had to travel hundreds of miles to receive abortion care, and once they arrived at a city with an open facility they had to face longer waiting periods under different, restrictive Texas laws. In fact, many women would need to visit a facility multiple times, taking time away from their work and families. Amicus petitioners NAF and its member clinics were able to provide the Supreme Court with crucial fact information demonstrating the terrible effects of HB2; the Court recognized the helpfulness of amicus submissions in its decision.

3. Fried Frank Obtains Sole Child Custody Victory for Pro Bono Client

On Friday, October 7, 2016, the Domestic Relations Branch of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia awarded Fried Frank pro bono client, Ms. B, sole legal and physical custody of her three year old son. Fried Frank was assigned the case through the DC Volunteer Lawyers Project (DCVLP) after Ms. B’s original counsel was unable to continue with the matter. Despite being assigned to the case about a month before the trial, Fried Frank’s team was able to successfully obtain custody for Ms. B, which also included specific terms related to visitation by the child’s father.

The custody case originally stemmed from an incident of domestic violence during which Ms. B’s then-boyfriend, and father of her child, physically abused her in December of 2015. Ms. B obtained a temporary, and later, a permanent restraining order against her ex-boyfriend and then applied for assistance with the custody battle through the DCVLP. Ms. B and her ex-boyfriend each initially sought full legal and physical custody of the child in common. At trial, Fried Frank’s team had to completely change its strategy at least twice to accommodate both judge’s expressed desire to award joint custody despite the incident of domestic violence and the ex-boyfriend’s radical shift in what he was asking the court to award. Fried Frank’s team ended up presenting three witnesses, including Ms. B, and many pieces of documentary evidence. In the end, this was enough to convince the judge that Ms. B should be awarded sole legal and physical custody of the child.

BY ThE nUMBERsWhat 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: 23,233

2015: 30,482




What was the attorney headcount in your firm’s US office(s)?As of December 31, 2014: 363

As of December 31, 2015: 415

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: 58

2015: 74

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: 66%

2015: 67%

sUPERVision anD EValUaTionsIs there partner supervision on all pro bono matters?Yes

Do partner supervisors or, if applicable, senior associates provide written evaluations of associates’ work on pro bono matters?Yes

If so, are those evaluations taken into account in determining salary or bonuses?Yes, they are taken into account in determining salary and bonuses

Are those evaluations taken into account in determining advancement within the firm? Yes

Is there a pro bono requirement at your firm?Yes

If so, what is the requirement and to whom does it apply?Associates and counsel are required, and partners are encouraged, to record 20 pro bono hours

Does the firm give billable hour credit for pro bono work?Yes

Does the firm have a maximum number of pro bono hours that can be applied toward the billable hour target?Yes

If so, what is the maximum number of pro bono hours that can be applied toward the billable hour target? 300

Does the firm consider pro bono hours when determining bonuses?Yes

PRo Bono PoinTsWhat training opportunities are open to associates working on pro bono matters? Associates receive training year-round in a wide variety of skills. Those trainings are applicable to pro bono matters as well as to billable matters. In addition, associates who are interested in certain types of pro bono matters are provided the opportunity to attend trainings in specific legal areas applicable to those matters throughout the year.

Does the firm offer the use of support staff in handling pro bono matters?Yes

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 work2014: 1,859

2015: 2,287

Average hours per summer associate spent on pro bono work2014: 48

2015: 44

Percentage of summer associates in your firm’s U.S. office(s) engaged in pro bono work2014: 100%

2015: 100%

Please provide any additional information about pro bono opportunities available to summer associates.Public service is an essential part of our practice at Fried Frank. Summer associates are offered a variety of public interest projects to choose from. Some of the dynamic organizations and programs that we work with include: Sanctuary for Families’ Court Room Advocates Project, Immigration Equality, Lawyers Alliance of New York, Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless, Human Rights First and the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty.



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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 collaboration with some of the country’s leading advocacy organizations, Fried Frank has created unique programs that effectively bridge the worlds of private law firm litigation and public service law and offer our attorneys pro bono fellowship and externship opportunities. These organizations include the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., the Mexican-American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and Her Justice.

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. • Harlem RBI: provides inner-city youth with opportunities to

play, learn and grow

• Just the Beginning Foundation: an outreach project that exposes DC-metropolitan area students to law

• Legal Outreach, a pipeline diversity non-profit that works with law firms to host students to provide mentoring and exposure to law firm practice

• New York Law School B.A. to J.D. Pipeline Program: prepares minority and first-generation law students for the rigors of law school

• New York’s Hunter College via the Fried Frank Pre-Law Scholars Program: prepares the student body to become competitive law school candidates

• OnRamp Fellowship: a re-entry platform that matches law firms with experienced female lawyers returning to the profession for a one-year, paid training contract

• School Without Walls: a non-traditional high school that uses the city as its classroom, participating in citywide mock trial tournaments and other activities

• Sponsors for Educational Opportunity, a national organization that provides a range of educational and career development opportunities

• The Leadership Council of Legal Diversity: an organization of chief legal officers and law firm managing partners dedicated to improving diversity in the legal profession

• The New York City Bar Association Diversity Bar Fellowship Program: provides first-year law students from underrepresented populations the chance to spend a summer in one of New York’s leading law firms and corporate/government law departments

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. Fried Frank participates in various community programs throughout the year, including the AIDS Walk, Her Justice’s Story-by-Story Climb and Habitat for Humanity. The firm hosts volunteer days for partners and associates in select departments several times a year in Washington DC and in New York through New York Cares. Additionally, the firm participates in the Career Exploration Program with the Girl Scouts by hosting workplace visits for middle school girls and also participates in activities through the Youth Services Opportunities Project, which engages individuals in service experiences through a combination of orientation and hands on volunteer work and reflection.

Please list special recognition or awards your firm has won in the last three years for its pro bono work.2016

• Pro Bono Publico Award for Outstanding Law Firm Assistance, The Legal Aid Society

• “40 at 50” Award, The DC Circuit Judicial Conference (since 2014)

• Pro Bono Champion Award, The Legal Counsel for the Elderly

• DC Courts on its Pro Bono Honor Roll, recognizing attorneys for pro bono service

• AILA’s Edith Lowenstein Memorial Award for Advancing the Practice of Immigration Law to Karen Grisez

2015

• Cornerstone Award, Lawyers Alliance for New York

• Outstanding Achievement Award, Washington Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights

• Special counsel Karen Grisez was named a Pro Bono Division 2014-2015 Volunteer of the Year by AILA

• “Commitment To Meeting The Emergent Needs Of Immigrants” Award, The Legal Aid Society

• NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund Award

• Great Oaks Foundation Award

• Law Firm Award, The Door

2014

• Pro Bono Champion Award at the 25th Anniversary of ProBAR to special counsel Karen T. Grisez

• Legal Services NYC Pro Bono Leadership Award

• Immigration Equality Safe Haven Award

• Legal Counsel for the Elderly recognized corporate partner Richard Ansbacher

• Her Justice’s 2014 Pro Bono Liaison Award presented to special counsel Jennifer Colyer

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. • Fried Frank’s pro bono program is intended to provide

representation to people of limited means, and to worthy public interest organizations; to help each of the firm’s attorneys fulfill their ethical obligation to provide

representation to those in need; and to ensure skill development in all areas of practice and foster relationships between partners and associates.

• The firm is a signatory to the Pro Bono Principles of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York and the PBI’s Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge. It signals its support for pro bono service in a more tangible way by requiring a minimum of twenty hours pro bono service from associates and counsel for bonus eligibility.

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