Media Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
e-mail: communications@probonoinst.org
website: www.probonoinst.org

PBI to Honor Hogan Lovells with the 2023 John H. Pickering Award

Pro Bono Institute (PBI), in conjunction with Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP and the Pickering family, is proud to present its 2023 John H. Pickering Award to Hogan Lovells in recognition of its outstanding institutional commitment to pro bono and the inspiring pro bono performance of its lawyers and staff. The award will be presented at the PBI 2023 Annual Dinner, on Monday, October 16th, at Gotham Hall in New York.

Hogan Lovells, a charter signatory to the PBI Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge® initiative, has been a long-time leader in pro bono. Pro bono is part of Hogan Lovells’ DNA. As the first law firm to establish a free­standing pro bono practice more than 50 years ago, the firm is devoted to providing free legal services to those most in need of assistance. Their AmLaw Top Ten pro bono ranking for the past two years reflects the firm’s deep commitment to the rule of law and equal access to justice.

Hogan Lovells’ lawyers dedicate more than 150,000 hours annually to bring about change – from assisting families who’ve been devastated by the pandemic to representing those fleeing persecution and violence in their home countries. They contribute their legal skills to help the wrongfully convicted, the homeless and marginalized, victims of abuse, and other underserved populations around the globe.

June 2023 marked the three-year anniversary of Hogan Lovells’ Advancing Racial Justice commitment, a formal pledge to devote at least 65,000 pro bono hours through 2023 to breaking down the deeply rooted, systemic barriers that profoundly impact people of color around the world. The firm’s main focus has been on combatting racism in the areas of criminal justice, housing and economic justice, and voting rights.

“Hogan Lovells has demonstrated unwavering commitment to pro bono,” said Eve Runyon, PBI President and CEO. “Over the past 50 years, the firm has dedicated itself to addressing some of the most pressing access to justice needs. PBI applauds the firm’s commitment and is inspired by its meaningful pro bono work.”

“We are very honored to be receiving the 2023 John H. Pickering Award for our commitment to pro bono work. Hogan Lovells has a long tradition of supporting ground-breaking social developments, focusing on access to justice and the rule of law. We continue to make serving the communities in which we work and live a priority for the firm,” said Miguel Zaldivar, Hogan Lovells CEO.

While Hogan Lovells surpassed its original goal in 2022, colleagues around the globe continue to fight racial gerrymandering, combat hate crimes, protect the rights of the accused, and seek police accountability, among other important work in this space.

These recent successes, among many others, are a testament to the time and effort the firm invests in its communities. In 2023 alone, Hogan Lovells has:

  • Finalized a six-figure settlement for a Colorado inmate who was left unprotected from a vicious prison gang attack, despite repeated warnings and pleas for help.
  • Advocated for a wrongfully convicted Marylander by arguing for new state standards that would permit dismissal of criminal charges based on due process violations.
  • Convinced the U.S. Supreme Court that Alabama’s redistricting maps diluted Black citizens’ voting power.
  • Defended a city ordinance that would require Philadelphia firearms owners to report lost and stolen firearms to the police.
  • Secured the release of an inmate after 42 years of incarceration under the Maryland Uniform Post-Conviction Procedures Act.
  • Filed a lawsuit in Arizona against the U.S. Government on behalf of asylum-seeking migrant families who have been twice separated at the border.
  • Secured a victory for North Carolina voters at the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled that state courts can review and rectify election-related rules and voting maps passed by state legislatures.
  • Assisted scores of individual clients seeking protection orders, immigration relief, government benefits, safe housing, records expungements, and other critical necessities.

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About Pro Bono Institute

Founded in 1996, Pro Bono Institute (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 corporate 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 the John H. Pickering Award

PBI’s award is given in honor of the late John H. Pickering, a distinguished appellate attorney and leader in the legal profession who was equally well known for his extraordinary commitment to pro bono and the public interest. PBI presents the award in conjunction with his law firm, Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr (WilmerHale), and the Pickering family to honor a law firm for its outstanding commitment to pro bono legal services. Read more about the award and view a list of previous recipients.