October 26, 2020
Willkie will be celebrating Pro Bono Week with a variety of activities across the firm highlighting the importance of pro bono work and recognizing the significant pro bono accomplishments of our lawyers and other volunteers this year. In addition, the firm’s Chicago, Houston, Palo Alto and Washington, DC offices are sponsoring firmwide donation drives to benefit local non-profit organizations.
The week’s activities are organized around different daily themes, including immigration, LGBTQ rights, COVID-related issues, voting rights and racial justice, and will include speakers from both inside and outside of the firm for a total of 15 events. The firm’s work on high-profile matters such as Richardson v. Texas Secretary of State and Thomas v. Andino (voting rights), Fraihat v. ICE (immigration) and FemHealth v. Mt. Juliet (reproductive rights) will be discussed, among others, with speakers from ACLU, Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund and other organizations.
The donation drives in Chicago, Houston, Palo Alto and Washington, DC will benefit the Boys and Girls Clubs of Chicago, Houston Food Bank, Law Foundation of Silicon Valley, and arts and education organization Story Tapestries, respectively. The donation drives are centered on gifts of time through volunteer opportunities and through in-kind donations of goods and financial support. Those supporting the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley will take part in a walk, run and bike-a-thon.
To date, more than 375 Willkie attorneys across the firm have worked on pro bono matters in 2020, dedicating over 30,000 hours. Of the more than 120 new pro bono matters that were opened this year, about 90 were started since March, demonstrating the increased need for pro bono services since the COVID-19 pandemic took hold on communities.
Willkie and its lawyers have been recently recognized for their pro bono efforts, including being named Pro Bono Program of the Year (Chambers Diversity & Inclusion Awards: North America 2020).