Press Release
Awards and Rankings
July 20, 2011

Goodwin Procter Receives Archangel Award from Vitamin Angels for Pro Bono Service

SANTA BARBARA, CALIF., July 20, 2011Goodwin Procter LLP, a national Am Law 50 firm, has been selected as an Archangel Award recipient by Vitamin Angels, a nonprofit organization devoted to reducing child mortality worldwide by increasing the availability and use of essential micronutrients by children under five years of age. The honor, awarded at the Summit of the Angels Event at the nutrition industry’s NBJ Summit, recognizes Goodwin for pro bono services the firm has provided to Vitamin Angels over the course of an ongoing relationship that began in 2009. Last year, Vitamin Angels’ programs reached more than 22.5 million children in 43 countries, including the United States.

Almost 30 Goodwin partners and associates have contributed hundreds of hours of pro bono legal services to assist Vitamin Angels in areas including nonprofit law, corporate governance, contract and lease negotiations, tax issues, international expansion, employment law and trademark issues.  Last year, the firm contributed more than $500,000 in pro bono services to Vitamin Angels.

In presenting the award to Goodwin partner Joanne Gray, Vitamin Angels’ founder and president, Howard B. Schiffer, said “Goodwin has really helped us shape our business, gotten things done quickly and added value to all they touched. Goodwin gets how business thinks and we love working with them.  Vitamin Angels could not be where we are today without Goodwin’s incredible support”

“We’re deeply grateful for this honor,” said Gray, who also serves as a director of Vitamin Angels. “We have cherished the opportunity to contribute to the vital work of this organization and to partner with an industry that not only provides great products to consumers that improve their everyday lives, but also always answers the call to give back.”

Utilizing support from private individuals, foundations and businesses, Vitamin Angels connects at-risk children with essential nutrients to address chronic malnutrition and the resulting morbidity and mortality caused by vitamin deficiencies.  Much of the organization’s funding comes directly from the natural products industry, through commodity donations and retail promotions.  In 2010, Charity Navigator named Vitamin Angels one of the top 10 “Highly Rated Charities Relying Solely on Private Contributions.”  For additional information, please visit www.vitaminangels.org.

Goodwin’s Food Industry Group, co-chaired by Gray and Thomas Meriam, provides client counsel and strategic advice to a wide range of food, supplements and healthy living businesses.  The group includes more than 120 litigators, transaction lawyers, patent attorneys and scientists – including 50 with advanced degrees and 20 with PhDs.

About Goodwin Procter
Goodwin Procter LLP is one of the nation’s leading law firms, with offices in Boston, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Diego, 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 companies; financial services; intellectual property; products liability and mass torts; and securities litigation and white collar defense.  For additional information, visit  www.goodwinprocter.com.  Follow us on Twitter @GoodwinProcter.