February 6, 2020––Barclay Damon announces, for the third year in a row, every one of the law firm’s full-time attorneys provided pro bono legal services to low-income individuals in need of legal assistance and organizations serving those seeking access to justice.
“One of the cornerstones of Barclay Damon’s culture is a commitment to giving back to the communities we serve, and this significant accomplishment of achieving 100-percent pro bono service for three years straight demonstrates how passionate we are about advocating for those who are most susceptible to inequality,” Corey Auerbach, pro bono partner, said. “We are proud to be part of a firm where everyone embraces their civic duty by using their distinct skills and knowledge to help some of our nation’s most vulnerable populations.”
Through its multi-award-winning pro bono program, the firm dedicated more than 3,500 hours of time valued at nearly $1 million to pro bono efforts in 2019, with attorneys actively participating in firm-sponsored family court clinics, litigating civil rights violations, drafting wills for veterans, assisting with clemency applications, and providing online legal aid through initiatives such as the American Bar Association’s Free Legal Answers program. The firm’s investment in communities across its office platform supported legal matters involving many of today’s critical issues, including immigration, housing, women’s rights, prisoners’ rights, and community building and economic development. In addition to the firm’s significant level of pro bono service, it contributed approximately $2 million in 2019 in charitable board service, legal work for not-for-profits, and additional partnerships with key community programs.
“As attorneys, we have unique opportunities to ensure the idea of ‘liberty and justice for all’ is upheld through tangible action helping marginalized individuals in our communities,” Connie Cahill, deputy managing partner, said. “A significant component of establishing Barclay Damon as a leading law firm in the United States has been our above-average bono participation, and we hope that our consistent 100-percent service over the years will set the bar for other law firms to commit to accomplishing that goal as well.”
The firm’s dedication to pro bono work has been recognized with numerous honors, including being named a Free Legal Answers™ Firm Honoree by the New York State Bar Association. On January 30, Barclay Damon was additionally honored as an Empire State Counsel Honoree by NYSBA at its annual Justice for All Luncheon for the fourth year straight, and Jerry Mackey, partner, received the NYSBA Senior Lawyers Section Jonathan Lippman Pro Bono Award at the NYSBA Annual Meeting. Among other accolades, Barclay Damon has also been ranked the number one firm for pro bono service in Western New York by Buffalo Law Journal.
Barclay Damon attorneys team across offices and practices to provide customized, targeted solutions grounded in industry knowledge and a deep understanding of our clients’ businesses. With nearly 300 attorneys, Barclay Damon is a leading law firm that operates from a strategic platform of offices located in the Northeastern United States and Toronto. For more information, visit our award-winning website at barclaydamon.com.