Public Counsel Thanks Legal Community for Breaking a Record at L.A. Marathon
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
- Organization: Public Counsel
Public Counsel Thanks Legal Community for Breaking a Record at L.A. Marathon by Raising $100,000 to Provide Free Legal Services
Over 500 People From 24 Law Firms, 3 Corporations and 1 Law School
Participated in 4th Annual 'Run For Justice' to Raise Money That Will Be
Used to Assist Vulnerable Children, Families and Adults -
LOS ANGELES, March 6 -- Public Counsel, the nation's
largest pro bono public interest law firm, thanked the legal community of
Southern California for its record participation in and generous support
for the 4th annual "Run For Justice," raising approximately $100,000 to
provide free legal and social services to the most vulnerable members of
our community. The funds will be used to support Public Counsel's
nationally recognized pro bono legal projects.
Over 500 people registered to participate, including partners,
associates, corporate counsel, paralegals, legal assistants, law students
and administrative staff from the 24 law firms, three corporations and one
law school. Most participants ran or walked in the 5K event but 44
participated in the new 26.2-mile marathon course and another 60
participated in the Bike Tour. Each approached colleagues, friends and
family members to sponsor them for every kilometer or mile completed.
"Public Counsel exists to help heal the wounds of families, individuals
and our community by providing access to justice for our clients. We are
very grateful to the hundreds of people who donated their time and money
and helped make this year's event such a success," said Dan Grunfeld,
Public Counsel President and C.E.O. "This is in addition to the
approximately 150,000 hours that firms, companies and law schools donate
annually to assist our clients."
Of the 28 teams participating, five fielded teams of over 40 people,
including Latham & Watkins LLP with 89, Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker LLP
with 48, O'Melveny & Myers LLP with 46, and Southern California Edison with
42. (See below for a complete list of teams.)
Public Counsel Chairperson Karlene Goller, Vice President and Deputy
General Counsel of the Los Angeles Times, observed, "The funds will go to
assist the most vulnerable members of our community -- abused and abandoned
children, homeless youth and families, single mothers, victims of domestic
violence and senior citizens who have been ripped off by consumer scam
artists. This tremendous outpouring of support demonstrates what is
possible when we all work together for the benefit of our community."
Complete List of "Run For Justice" Teams
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
Arnold & Porter LLP
Bingham McCutchen LLP
Bird, Marella, Boxer, Wolpert, Nessim, Drooks & Lincenberg
Concord Law School
DIRECTV
Foley & Lardner LLP
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Howrey LLP
Irell & Manella LLP
Katten Muchin Rosenmann LLP
K&L Gates
Latham & Watkins LLP
Liner Yankelevitz Sunshine & Regenstreif LLP
McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP
Morgan Lewis & Brokius LLP
O'Melveny & Myers LLP
Paul, Haskings, Janofsky & Walker LLP
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
Playa Vista
Proskauer Rose LLP
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP
Southern California Edison
Strange & Carpenter
Sullivan & Cromwell LLP
"Run For Justice" Awards
Public Counsel will present individual awards to the first, second and
third place male and female finishers in five age categories for the
marathon and 5K events. Participants who raised more than $250 will receive
a commemorative "Champion for Justice" medallion. First, second and third
place awards will be presented to the largest teams and the Karen Paull
Justice Cup will be presented to the team raising the most money. The
awards are being presented on Tuesday, March 27, 2007 at 5:30 p.m. at the
Los Angeles office of Latham & Watkins LLP located at 633 West Fifth
Street, Suite 4000.
Public Counsel board member Martha Jordan, a partner with Latham &
Watkins LLP's Los Angeles office, said, "We were extremely pleased by the
tremendous turnout of people from our Los Angeles and Orange County offices
who signed-up to participate in this year's 'Run For Justice.' I think it
reflects the passion and enthusiasm our people feel for Public Counsel and
the pro bono work we do on behalf of their clients."
About The "Run For Justice"
As an official charity of the L.A. Marathon, Public Counsel is able to
use all three events to raise money, by recruiting runners, walkers and
cyclists who solicit per-mile/per kilometer pledges from friends, family
and co-workers. Public Counsel has been an official charity of the Los
Angeles Marathon since 2003.
Over $350,000 has been raised since the "Run For Justice" was created
in 2003 by four Public Counsel board members: Matt Heartney with Arnold &
Porter LLP, Stephen E. Pickett, General Counsel of Southern California
Edison; and Rick Rothman with Bingham McCutchin LLP and attorney Nicholas
Allis.
Volunteers also staff the Public Counsel booth along the route at the
southeast corner of Olympic and Central, between marathon mile markers 20
and 21, where participants can grab a fresh slice of orange as they move
towards the finish line.
About Public Counsel
Public Counsel is the largest public interest pro bono law firm in the
world. It is a beacon of hope and justice for those who have nowhere else
to turn. Last year, with the help of more than 3,700 volunteer lawyers, law
students, social workers and others, Public Counsel provided more than $66
million worth of free services to nearly 26,000 people. Since it was
founded in 1970, Public Counsel has recruited and trained over 35,000
volunteers and provided over a quarter of a billion dollars of free
assistance.
Nationally, Public Counsel has been a leader in developing model
programs and assisting other pro bono public interest law firms to bring
these programs to their communities. In addition to serving the vast Los
Angeles metropolitan region, Public Counsel is actively helping to
strengthen pro bono public interest law internationally. In 2000, Public
Counsel was instrumental in creating the Instituto Pro Bono in Brazil, that
country's first public interest pro bono law firm. Since that time Public
Counsel has played a central role in nurturing other pro bono programs in
Brazil, Argentina, Europe, Africa and Australia.
Over 500 People From 24 Law Firms, 3 Corporations and 1 Law School
Participated in 4th Annual 'Run For Justice' to Raise Money That Will Be
Used to Assist Vulnerable Children, Families and Adults -
LOS ANGELES, March 6 -- Public Counsel, the nation's
largest pro bono public interest law firm, thanked the legal community of
Southern California for its record participation in and generous support
for the 4th annual "Run For Justice," raising approximately $100,000 to
provide free legal and social services to the most vulnerable members of
our community. The funds will be used to support Public Counsel's
nationally recognized pro bono legal projects.
Over 500 people registered to participate, including partners,
associates, corporate counsel, paralegals, legal assistants, law students
and administrative staff from the 24 law firms, three corporations and one
law school. Most participants ran or walked in the 5K event but 44
participated in the new 26.2-mile marathon course and another 60
participated in the Bike Tour. Each approached colleagues, friends and
family members to sponsor them for every kilometer or mile completed.
"Public Counsel exists to help heal the wounds of families, individuals
and our community by providing access to justice for our clients. We are
very grateful to the hundreds of people who donated their time and money
and helped make this year's event such a success," said Dan Grunfeld,
Public Counsel President and C.E.O. "This is in addition to the
approximately 150,000 hours that firms, companies and law schools donate
annually to assist our clients."
Of the 28 teams participating, five fielded teams of over 40 people,
including Latham & Watkins LLP with 89, Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker LLP
with 48, O'Melveny & Myers LLP with 46, and Southern California Edison with
42. (See below for a complete list of teams.)
Public Counsel Chairperson Karlene Goller, Vice President and Deputy
General Counsel of the Los Angeles Times, observed, "The funds will go to
assist the most vulnerable members of our community -- abused and abandoned
children, homeless youth and families, single mothers, victims of domestic
violence and senior citizens who have been ripped off by consumer scam
artists. This tremendous outpouring of support demonstrates what is
possible when we all work together for the benefit of our community."
Complete List of "Run For Justice" Teams
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
Arnold & Porter LLP
Bingham McCutchen LLP
Bird, Marella, Boxer, Wolpert, Nessim, Drooks & Lincenberg
Concord Law School
DIRECTV
Foley & Lardner LLP
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Howrey LLP
Irell & Manella LLP
Katten Muchin Rosenmann LLP
K&L Gates
Latham & Watkins LLP
Liner Yankelevitz Sunshine & Regenstreif LLP
McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP
Morgan Lewis & Brokius LLP
O'Melveny & Myers LLP
Paul, Haskings, Janofsky & Walker LLP
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
Playa Vista
Proskauer Rose LLP
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP
Southern California Edison
Strange & Carpenter
Sullivan & Cromwell LLP
"Run For Justice" Awards
Public Counsel will present individual awards to the first, second and
third place male and female finishers in five age categories for the
marathon and 5K events. Participants who raised more than $250 will receive
a commemorative "Champion for Justice" medallion. First, second and third
place awards will be presented to the largest teams and the Karen Paull
Justice Cup will be presented to the team raising the most money. The
awards are being presented on Tuesday, March 27, 2007 at 5:30 p.m. at the
Los Angeles office of Latham & Watkins LLP located at 633 West Fifth
Street, Suite 4000.
Public Counsel board member Martha Jordan, a partner with Latham &
Watkins LLP's Los Angeles office, said, "We were extremely pleased by the
tremendous turnout of people from our Los Angeles and Orange County offices
who signed-up to participate in this year's 'Run For Justice.' I think it
reflects the passion and enthusiasm our people feel for Public Counsel and
the pro bono work we do on behalf of their clients."
About The "Run For Justice"
As an official charity of the L.A. Marathon, Public Counsel is able to
use all three events to raise money, by recruiting runners, walkers and
cyclists who solicit per-mile/per kilometer pledges from friends, family
and co-workers. Public Counsel has been an official charity of the Los
Angeles Marathon since 2003.
Over $350,000 has been raised since the "Run For Justice" was created
in 2003 by four Public Counsel board members: Matt Heartney with Arnold &
Porter LLP, Stephen E. Pickett, General Counsel of Southern California
Edison; and Rick Rothman with Bingham McCutchin LLP and attorney Nicholas
Allis.
Volunteers also staff the Public Counsel booth along the route at the
southeast corner of Olympic and Central, between marathon mile markers 20
and 21, where participants can grab a fresh slice of orange as they move
towards the finish line.
About Public Counsel
Public Counsel is the largest public interest pro bono law firm in the
world. It is a beacon of hope and justice for those who have nowhere else
to turn. Last year, with the help of more than 3,700 volunteer lawyers, law
students, social workers and others, Public Counsel provided more than $66
million worth of free services to nearly 26,000 people. Since it was
founded in 1970, Public Counsel has recruited and trained over 35,000
volunteers and provided over a quarter of a billion dollars of free
assistance.
Nationally, Public Counsel has been a leader in developing model
programs and assisting other pro bono public interest law firms to bring
these programs to their communities. In addition to serving the vast Los
Angeles metropolitan region, Public Counsel is actively helping to
strengthen pro bono public interest law internationally. In 2000, Public
Counsel was instrumental in creating the Instituto Pro Bono in Brazil, that
country's first public interest pro bono law firm. Since that time Public
Counsel has played a central role in nurturing other pro bono programs in
Brazil, Argentina, Europe, Africa and Australia.
