WASHINGTON, D.C. – Pro Bono Institute (PBI) will present its John H. Pickering Award to Goodwin LLP at its 2019 Annual Dinner on October 10 in New York City. Goodwin, a member of PBI’s Law Firm Pro Bono Project and a signatory to the Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge® initiative, is receiving this award in recognition of its exemplary institutional commitment to pro bono and the inspiring pro bono performance of its lawyers and staff.
“A strong focus on pro bono work has been an essential part of Goodwin’s culture,” stated David Hashmall, Chairman of Goodwin. “We are honored and humbled that Pro Bono Institute has recognized the contributions of the firm’s lawyers and professionals who have selflessly devoted countless hours to a variety of important causes.”
PBI selected Goodwin for this prestigious honor because of its longstanding leadership in access to justice, as the firm has provided pro bono services since its founding more than a century ago. During the Depression, its lawyers were involved in public investigations of corruption and malfeasance, as well as cases involving constitutional issues. In the 1940s, Goodwin lawyers presented part of America’s case against the Nazis at Nuremberg. And, in 1968, legendary Goodwin litigator Samuel Hoar, Jr., co-founded the Boston Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights (now Lawyers for Civil Rights). He, like his father before him, was a longtime Goodwin partner who firmly believed that every member of the bar has a professional obligation to use their legal training for the benefit of the greater public good.
In recent years, firm lawyers and staff have dedicated roughly 65,000 pro bono hours to more than 1,000 pro bono clients annually. Goodwin’s clients include individuals, families, small business owners, social enterprises, and nonprofit organizations focused on promoting the public good. Pro bono is an essential component of the firm’s culture and values.
“Goodwin’s longstanding commitment to pro bono, along with their forward-thinking leadership and innovation, make them a deserving recipient of the Pickering Award,” said Eve Runyon, PBI President and CEO. “We applaud them for their extraordinary and sustained commitment to expanding access to justice.”
Given annually by PBI and Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr (WilmerHale), the award honors the memory of John H. Pickering, a founding partner and distinguished appellate lawyer known for his extraordinary commitment to pro bono and public interest law.
For more information, visit the PBI 2019 Annual Dinner webpage.
About the John H. Pickering Award
John H. Pickering, a founding partner of Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering (now Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr), was a distinguished appellate lawyer and a leader of the legal profession who was well known for his extraordinary commitment to pro bono and public interest law. He served on PBI’s Law Firm Pro Bono Project Advisory Committee from its inception in 1989 until his death in March 2005. The Pickering Award is given annually to a major law firm that embodies Pickering’s spirit of service and demonstrates the exceptional culture of pro bono service he worked to imbue in his firm.
About Pro Bono Institute
Founded in 1996, PBI is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization. With an unparalleled depth of knowledge, resources, and expertise, PBI is the respected resource for all things pro bono. Through our work with law firms, in-house legal departments, and public interest organizations, PBI is the global thought leader in exploring, identifying, evaluating, catalyzing, and taking to scale new approaches to and resources for the provision of legal services to the poor, disadvantaged, and other individuals or groups unable to secure legal assistance to address critical problems.
About Goodwin LLP
At Goodwin, we partner with our clients to practice law with integrity, ingenuity, agility and ambition. Our 1,000-plus lawyers across the United States, Europe and Asia excel at complex transactions, high-stakes litigation and world-class advisory services in the technology, life sciences, real estate, private equity, and financial industries. Our unique combination of deep experience serving both the innovators and investors in a rapidly-changing, technology-driven economy sets us apart. To learn more, visit us at www.goodwinlaw.com and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.
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