Top row: Jennifer Cowan, Michael Blair, Judge Edwina Mendelson, Mark Goodman, Adam Moss, Dana Rehnquist, Samuel Rosh, Richard Davis (LAS Chair of the Board), Janet Sabel (LAS Attorney-In-Chief/CEO)
Bottom row: Elie Worenklein, Fiona Poon, Anna Domyancic, Matthew Forbes, Pooja Boisture, Alexandra Swain

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP has been selected as this year’s recipient of the Honorable Jonathan Lippman New York Pro Bono Publico and Public Service Law Firm Award for the firm’s outstanding service to The Legal Aid Society and its clients.

Since 2015, The Legal Aid Society has presented this annual award to the law firm with an exceptional commitment to pro bono work in furthering The Legal Aid Society’s goal of “making equal justice for all not just an ideal, but truly a reality in New York.” The Legal Aid Society was established more than 140 years ago and provides legal aid services in civil, criminal defense, juvenile rights and pro bono cases.

Debevoise has worked closely with The Legal Aid Society for decades, taking referrals for individual clients and serving as co-counsel with The Legal Aid Society on impact litigation in areas including prisoners’ rights, immigration defense, disability advocacy, civil rights, criminal appeals, bankruptcy matters and the preservation of affordable housing. So far in 2019, Debevoise has spent more than 5,500 hours on pro bono matters with The Legal Aid Society. The firm also works with The Legal Aid Society on an annual Continuing Legal Education (CLE) course on the formation of not-for-profit organizations and participates in the annual Associates Campaign. Mark Goodman, co-chair of the firm’s commercial litigation practice, serves as Vice Chairman of the Board of The Legal Aid Society and Elie Worenklein, an associate in the Restructuring Group, serves on The Legal Aid Society’s New Leadership Program Board of Directors.

Debevoise lawyers have been dedicated to public service since the firm was founded in 1931. Debevoise takes on a large number of pro bono matters each year ranging from landmark international and national disputes to representing low-income individuals in the communities in which we live and practice. Debevoise is regularly among the top firms in The American Lawyer’s annual pro bono survey and “A-List,” which is based in part on commitment to pro bono legal service.

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP is a premier law firm with market-leading practices, a global perspective and strong New York roots. We deliver effective solutions to our clients’ most important legal challenges, applying clear commercial judgment and a distinctively collaborative approach.

For more information, please read the Legal Aid Society press release.