Goodwin Procter, a national Am Law 50 firm, has been selected by the Business Law Section of the American Bar Association as the law firm recipient of its 2014 National Public Service Award. Initiated in 1994, the annual honor recognizes delivery of significant pro bono legal services that demonstrate a commitment to providing assistance to the poor in a business context.
Goodwin was nominated for the award by Lawyers Clearinghouse, a nonprofit organization the firm’s attorneys have worked with for more than a decade. In its nomination, Lawyers Clearinghouse recognized the 10-year anniversary of its collaboration with Goodwin to produce legal seminars and workshops for Massachusetts nonprofits, as well as the firm’s integral role in creating The One Fund Boston, the charity formed to raise money for families affected by the Boston Marathon bombings.
In selecting Goodwin Procter, ABA Business Law Section’s Pro Bono Committee Chair William Woodward said the Section “carefully considered the firm’s dedication to the development and delivery of innovative pro bono services that have provided legal counsel to nonprofit organizations and microbusinesses in aid of community development on an ongoing basis.”
Goodwin Procter has a longstanding tradition of providing pro bono legal assistance to needy individuals and charitable organizations, and support for public rights. Last year, the firm’s attorneys delivered more than 53,000 hours of pro bono services to a wide range of organizations and individuals.
The National Public Service Award will be presented to Goodwin at the ABA Business Law Section’s annual Spring Meeting Luncheon on April 11, 2014 in Los Angeles.
“We are honored that the Business Law Section has recognized Goodwin for the pro bono services we provide on a daily basis,” said Mark Macenka, co-chair of Goodwin Procter’s Pro Bono Committee. “Through our pro bono programs, we are proud to assist organizations with securing access to basic human needs like safety, shelter, nutrition and medical care for those in need.”
The firm’s Legal Seminars for Nonprofit Organizations communicate with a diverse array of groups about the best ways to implement their charitable vision. They provide potential pro bono clients with the tools they need to work effectively and efficiently with the attorneys with whom they may ultimately be matched, which helps use pro bono resources appropriately. The One Fund is the single largest private survivor relief fund in United States history with 100 percent of all proceeds going to survivors of the Boston Marathon bombings. The fund has raised more than $73 million to date.
The ABA is one of the world’s largest voluntary professional organizations, with nearly 400,000 members and more than 3,500 entities. The ABA Business Law Section serves its members, the legal profession, and the public by providing educational resources to its members, assisting members in serving their clients ethically and competently, and furthering the development and improvement of business law.
Goodwin Procter LLP is a leading Global 100 law firm, with offices in Boston, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Silicon Valley and Washington, D.C. The firm provides corporate law and litigation services, with a focus on matters involving real estate, REITs and real estate capital markets; private equity; technology and life sciences companies; financial institutions; intellectual property; products liability and mass torts; and securities litigation and white collar defense. Information may be found at www.goodwinprocter.com. Follow us on Twitter @goodwinprocter.