Debevoise & Plimpton LLP partner Daniel Abuhoff, associate Daniel Aun, associate Joshua Smith and former associate Sean Heikkila have been honored by Prisoners’ Legal Services of New York (PLSNY) with the 2019 Clarence Herlihy Award for outstanding pro bono service. On behalf of PLSNY, our legal team secured an important appellate victory, which challenged the practice of the New York Department of Corrections and Community Supervision to extensively redact unusual incident reports and use of force reports ̶ records used by PLSNY to assist prisoners.

PLSNY is a non-profit legal services organization that provides indigent incarcerated New Yorkers access to the courts. According to PLSNY, there are over 51,000 individuals incarcerated in 54 prisons across New York State and PLSNY responds to more than 10,000 requests for assistance annually. Their mission is to provide high quality, effective legal representation and assistance to indigent prisoners, to help them secure their civil and human rights, and to advocate for humane prisons and for a more humane criminal justice system. Debevoise partner John Kiernan has been Chairman of the PLSNY Board of Directors since 2008.

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.