At Duane Morris, we know the justice gap is real. According to the Legal Services Corporation, more than 86 percent of civil legal problems reported by low-income Americans receive inadequate or no legal assistance. Our Pro Bono Program strives to help decrease this justice gap in the communities where we work and live. While our pro bono work is just one drop in the larger social justice ecosystem, we aim to have ripple effects across our communities.
Our attorneys assist in a multitude of ways. We leverage our attorneys’ experience and talents providing direct representation to under-resourced and marginalized clients facing eviction, denial of benefits, unjust convictions, immigration and heirs’ property issues, to name only a few. We assist socially minded nonprofits and microentrepreneurs with all manner of legal issues, including incorporation, achieving IRS 501(c)(3) status, intellectual property protection, as well as lease, contract and employment matters. We draft amicus briefs to support litigants in issues before the U.S. Supreme Court, federal circuit courts and state courts. We work with legal aid organizations across the United States and the world to help expand their reach via pro bono clinics in partnership with many of our corporate clients, while making an impact on litigation efforts and systemic reforms to legal systems.
We encourage and support all Duane Morris attorneys and staff in pursuing pro bono service that resonates with their practice and passions. A dedicated pro bono team identifies appropriate matters, provides relevant training/mentorship and manages more than 500 new cases and 30,000-plus hours of pro bono service annually.
Access to Justice: Pro Bono by the Numbers
- 403,000+ pro bono hours donated since 2006.
- 32,000+ hours donated to pro bono service firmwide during 2023.
- 10,500+ hours representing 400+ nonprofits and microentrepreneurs/investors in corporate governance, tax, intellectual property and other transactional matters.
- 6,000+ hours representing 250+ immigrants and families seeking safety and lawful status in the United States.
- 5,800+ hours representing 100+ individuals with criminal convictions seeking to prove their innocence, petition for pardon, expungement of low-level criminal records or in other prisoner civil rights matters.
- 1,200+ hours representing veterans applying for service-related disability benefits, military discharge upgrades, end-of-life planning and other civil matters.
For more information about the Pro Bono Program, please contact Valentine A. Brown or Katharyn Voit.
Pro bono service and volunteerism have been an important part of Duane Morris’ culture since our founding more than 120 years ago. This work is integral to our well-being and the communities where we all live and work. From the foundation of the firm, leading partners also have been luminaries in Philadelphia’s public interest community pursing access to justice. To name just a few:
- Duane Morris founder Russell Duane co-founded the Committee of 70 to combat corruption in Philadelphia. Today, the committee serves as an election watchdog and comprehensive good-government nonprofit and nonpartisan organization.
- Storied Trial Practice Group leader Henry Reath was a co-founder of Community Legal Services, which has worked to fight poverty, challenge systems that perpetuate injustice, and change lives through free civil legal services for over 50 years. In addition, Henry advocated for affordable housing and represented prisoners serving life without parole sentences in local prisons.
- James Redeker, retired of counsel in the firm’s Employment, Labor, Benefits and Immigration Practice Group, co-founded the Support Center for Child Advocates, one of the first child advocacy organizations nationwide, which decades later continues to advocate for victims of child abuse and neglect in the dependency system.
For decades, the firm's Pro Bono Committee was driven by the dedication of volunteer attorneys, but in 2006, the firm formalized its commitment by establishing a Pro Bono Program and appointing its first pro bono counsel. Since then, the firm has donated over 400,000 pro bono hours.
Since 2015, the firm has more than tripled its annual pro bono hours, consistently achieving a remarkable 95-100 percent attorney participation rate. That same year, the firm accepted the Pro Bono Institute’s challenge to contribute at least 3 percent of its billable hours to pro bono services annually. The majority of these hours are devoted to representing individuals with limited means. Additionally, the firm joined the U.K.’s Collaborative Plan for Pro Bono, committing to at least 25 pro bono hours annually for each attorney in the London office.
The firm's pro bono efforts focus on key areas: children and families, community economic development, immigration, second chances (including criminal justice defense/reform and prisoner rights) and veterans. These priorities reflect the firm's dedication to making a meaningful impact on the lives of those in need.
2025 Sanctuary for Families Above & Beyond Pro Bono Award
Mark A. Bradford and Tiffany E. Alberty were honored for their cases in two United Nations Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction on behalf of mothers who are survivors of domestic violence and in collaboration with the Narkis Golan International Child Abduction Initiative of Sanctuary for Families.
2025 Board Champion Award
Larry KotlerPartner | Business Reorganization and Financial Restructuring | Philadelphia, New York and Wilmington Offices
Larry Kotler was honored by the staff and board of the Homeless Advocacy Project (HAP) for his exceptional leadership and unwavering commitment to HAP’s mission for over 20 years.
2024 Women in Business Law Pro Bono North America Firm of the Year Award
Duane Morris was presented this award, celebrating the progressive and innovative work done by firms to promote diversity and inclusion policies into the framework of their business.
Singapore’s Public Service Medal
Arfat Selvam was awarded Singapore’s Public Service Medal by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Singapore’s National Day. The medal honors a person who has rendered commendable public service in Singapore. Arfat was recognized for her more than 17 years of pro bono legal service.
2024 Distinguished Citizen Award
Philip Matthews was awarded the 2024 Distinguished Citizen Award by the Boy Scouts of America Pacific Skyline Council in honor of his volunteer efforts on behalf of youths via the council as well as the Episcopal Charities of the Diocese of California, University of California Hastings College of Law and Project Concern International.
2023 Florida Bar President’s Pro Bono Award
Alvin Lodish was recognized by the Florida Supreme Court for decades of pro bono service on behalf of children through Dade Legal Aid’s Children's Legal Collaborative and the YMCA.
2023 Duane Morris Pro Bono Leadership Award
The Duane Morris Pro Bono Leadership Award is given to an attorney who exemplifies the spirit of pro bono: a selfless, longstanding and unwavering commitment to pro bono service; a leader by example who accepts pro bono matters without fanfare; and a pro bono contributor who encourages and mentors other firm attorneys in pro bono service. Sheila Raftery Wiggins was honored for decades of leadership and personal pro bono efforts to help bridge the justice gap.
2023 Duane Morris Pro Bono Award
The Duane Morris Pro Bono Award honors the outstanding service of any attorney or group that exemplifies Duane Morris’ commitment to pro bono service and has made a significant impact on an individual or community. For the second time in the award’s history, Duane Morris celebrated two winners in 2023. Duane Morris associates Alexandra Jones and Daniel Wall were celebrated for their efforts representing Ricardo, a Peruvian father seeking the return of his daughter after her mother took her under the false pretense of a two-week vacation to the United States and then disappeared.
Community Legal Services 2023 Equal Access to Justice Award
Duane Morris’ Philadelphia office was honored at Community Legal Services’ Breakfast of Champions with a 2023 Equal Access to Justice Award in recognition of the firm’s longstanding commitment to providing pro bono services to low income Philadelphians.
Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers President’s and Director’s Commendation
Rob Byer, Chris Casey and Ryan Monahan were honored with a president’s and director’s commendation for the team’s work on a U.S. Supreme Court amicus brief in the case Alexis Fernando Barradas-Jacome v. United States Attorney General.
The Veterans Consortium (TVC) Community Impact Award
Duane Morris was honored with the Community Impact Award, recognizing the firm’s support of TVC’s legal assistance programs and demonstrated excellence and dedication in service of the unique and emerging legal needs of our nation’s defenders and their families. Chris Tyson was personally honored with the Chairman’s Award, which celebrates an individual who has significantly impacted TVC’s mission through advocacy and selfless dedication to our military service members and their families.
Pennsylvania Innocence Project 2023 Maureen Rowley Award
Leigh Skipper was honored by the Pennsylvania Innocence Project with the 2023 Maureen Rowley Award in celebration of his leadership as the chief federal defender for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania from 2009-2022 and in recognition of his devotion to fighting for all defendants, particularly those who do not have access to private counsel. Leigh also serves as chair of the Public Defenders Committee of the American College of Trial Lawyers.
Duane Morris Receives 2022 Pro Bono Award from Philadelphia Bar Foundation
Matt Taylor and Valentine Brown
Duane Morris Receives 2022 Pro Bono Award from the Philadelphia Bar Foundation
Duane Morris is a recipient of the 2022 Pro Bono Award by the Philadelphia Bar Foundation, which is given annually to a Philadelphia law firm or corporate legal department that performs outstanding volunteer efforts in providing legal services to those in need. Duane Morris was recognized for its commitment to the Philadelphia community, the Firm’s longstanding partnerships with local legal aids and agencies, and it’s work for refugees, asylees, survivors of violence and many others in need.
“I want to stress that in the last year or so, there has been a crisis in pro bono as people have struggled with all of the pandemic-related woes that we know and understand. Duane Morris, however, has not missed a single beat. They have been a true shining light in the darkness as we have scrambled to meet exploding needs as a direct result of the crises in Haiti, Afghanistan and now Ukraine. We are so enormously grateful that Duane Morris’ support has never wavered.”
— CATHRYN MILLER-WILSON
Executive Director of HIAS Pennsylvania
“So many issues come up in a nonprofit like ours, whether it is a pressing issue for a client or a new path for the agency that seems to be filled with both opportunity and peril. What would happen if we did not have access to the pro bono resources at Duane Morris? We could not afford to pay for all of the legal consultations we have brought to Duane Morris. As a result, our clients would not get the kind of legal guidance that helps them make the best decisions for their lives. They would be more fearful, and they would be vulnerable to people taking advantage of them. And for the agency, our fear of the unknown would make us more hesitant to pursue new opportunities. We would not be able to serve our clients or community as well, and we would stunt our ability to grow. Our relationship with Duane Morris’ pro bono attorneys has been transformative for our agency. Each attorney has been generous with their time and expertise and a delight to work with. And each has contributed to helping our clients live self-directed, dignified lives.”
— DAVID CHILES
Executive Director of Lutheran Settlement House (Philadelphia)
2022 Veteran Advocacy Project Service Award
The Veteran Advocacy Project (VAP) honored Michael Grohman and Duane Morris in celebration of the firm’s dedication to assisting veterans in gaining vital, life-changing benefits. VAP provides free legal services to low-income veterans, with a focus on those living with post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury, substance use disorders and mental illness. Duane Morris attorneys began volunteering with VAP several years ago when it was a small project at another legal aid organization. Over the years, the firm’s corporate attorneys helped VAP spin off, creating an independent legal aid, and Michael serves on VAP’s board of directors. In addition, attorneys and staff aided several veterans with military discharge upgrade and service-connected disability benefits applications.
2022 Duane Morris Pro Bono Leadership Award
Richard P. JaffePartner | Corporate Finance | Philadelphia and New York Offices
The award recognizes an attorney who exemplifies the spirit of pro bono: a selfless, long-standing and unwavering commitment to pro bono service; a leader by example who accepts pro bono matters without fanfare; and a pro bono contributor who encourages and mentors other firm attorneys in pro bono service.
Pierre Georges Bonnefil, Daniel Mita and Allison Midei
2021 Duane Morris Pro Bono Award Recipients
The award honors the outstanding service of attorneys who exemplify Duane Morris’ commitment to pro bono service and have made a significant impact on an individual or community.
2021 Duane Morris Pro Bono Leadership Award
Pierre Georges Bonnefil
Partner | Immigration Law | New York Office
The award recognizes an attorney who exemplifies the spirit of pro bono: a selfless, long-standing and unwavering commitment to pro bono service; a leader by example who accepts pro bono matters without fanfare; and a pro bono contributor who encourages and mentors other firm attorneys in pro bono service.
New Generation Leader Award by United Way of Greater Philadelphia & South Jersey
Pro Bono Counsel Katharyn I. Christian McGee was named the next generation leader by United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey. The award is given to a woman, age 40 or under, who has not only accomplished exemplary professional success, but also shares a deep commitment to give, advocate and volunteer.
Legal Intelligencer Unsung Hero List
David J. Wolfsohn and Tyler Marandola have been named to The Legal Intelligencer’s Unsung Hero list.
The Legal Intelligencer’s 2020 Pennsylvania Lawyers on the Fast Track
Pro Bono Counsel Katharyn I. Christian McGee has been named to The Legal Intelligencer’s 2020 Pennsylvania Lawyers on the Fast Track list. Nominees were evaluated by a panel comprised of members of the Pennsylvania legal community from across the state. Candidates were then selected based on their advancement of law, representative client engagements, advocacy and community contributions, service to the bar, and peer and public recognitions.
Cora Services Corporate Champion Award
Valentine A. Brown, pro bono partner, received a Corporate Champion Award from Cora Services. The award recognizes individuals or organizations who have shown a commitment to meeting the needs of young people in the Philadelphia community and facilitating connections for resources that support CORA’s mission – to support children and families facing academic, emotional or social challenges.
2020 Duane Morris Pro Bono Award
Leah Mintz
Associate | Trial Practice Group | Philadelphia Office
The award honors the outstanding service of an attorney who exemplifies Duane Morris’ commitment to pro bono service and has made a significant impact on an individual or community.
2020 Duane Morris Pro Bono Leadership Award
Michael D. Schwamm
Partner | Corporate Practice Group | New York Office
The award recognizes an attorney who exemplifies the spirit of pro bono: a selfless, long-standing and unwavering commitment to pro bono service; a leader by example who accepts pro bono matters without fanfare; and a pro bono contributor who encourages and mentors other firm attorneys in pro bono service.
Dade Legal Aid Wills on Wheels Pro Bono Award
Duane Morris has been honored with the Dade Legel Aid 2019 Wills on Wheels Pro Bono Award. The organization writes:
For years, the dedicated attorneys with Duane Morris have spent thousands of hours assisting a wide range of individuals and nonprofits on a pro bono basis locally, regionally and internationally. In honor of Veterans Day, their dedicated attorneys in Miami and Boca Raton annually give back to the veteran community in alignment with the firm’s mission to serve others. They travel to various Veterans Affairs Centers and Hospitals to assist Veterans in need of Estate Planning matters as part of “Wills on Wheels,” created by Put Something Back in 1993.
Duane Morris partner Marsha G. Madorsky said, “From drafting wills and living wills to healthcare surrogates and power of attorneys, the veterans we serve have peace of mind knowing their testamentary affairs are in order."
Allegheny County Bar Foundation Presidential Merit Award
Kenneth M. Argentieri, managing partner of Duane Morris’ Pittsburgh office, received the 2019 Allegheny County Bar Foundation Presidential Merit Award. The award recognizes those in the legal community “exhibiting exceptional dedication to the Foundation and promoting pro bono service to the poor in Allegheny County.”
HIAS PA 2019 Golden Door Award for Legal Services
Duane Morris received a HIAS PA 2019 Golden Door Award for Legal Services. HIAS Pennsylvania provides legal, resettlement, citizenship, and supportive services to immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers from all backgrounds in order to ensure their fair treatment and full integration into American society.
SeniorLAW Center 2019 Champion of Justice
Duane Morris has been named a 2019 Champions for Justice by the SeniorLAW Center.
"Duane Morris, a law firm with more than 800 attorneys in offices across the United States and internationally, has been a dynamic pro bono partner of SeniorLAW Center in diverse and creative ways for well over a decade. Attorneys in the Firm’s Philadelphia office have led pro bono practice groups to help save the homes of low-income older homeowners, advocated for systemic changes to protect older victims of abuse, celebrated the contributions of older veterans by providing estate planning and other legal advice, represented individual low-income seniors in a variety of forums, and supported SeniorLAW Center’s work through Board leadership, administrative assistance and generous financial support. Since 2015, over 85 Duane Morris attorneys and staff have contributed more than 2,000 pro bono hours to aiding seniors through SLC and other legal aids. In 2018, 100 percent of U.S. attorneys engaged in pro bono service; firmwide, Duane Morris attorneys and staff donated over 37,000 hours equating to three percent of the firms billable hours. Duane Morris attorneys are stellar ambassadors, leaders, supporters and volunteers. SeniorLAW Center is proud to honor their many diverse contributions to pro bono and to elder justice."
2019 Duane Morris Pro Bono Award
Brian J. Slipakoff
Special Counsel | Trial Practice Group | Philadelphia Office
The award honors the outstanding service of an attorney who exemplifies Duane Morris’ commitment to pro bono service and has made a significant impact on an individual or community.
2019 Duane Morris Pro Bono Leadership Award
Richard P. Darke
Partner | Trial Practice Group | Chicago Office
The award recognizes an attorney who exemplifies the spirit of pro bono: a selfless, long-standing and unwavering commitment to pro bono service; a leader by example who accepts pro bono matters without fanfare; and a pro bono contributor who encourages and mentors other firm attorneys in pro bono service.
2019 Duane Morris Asia Pro Bono Leadership Award
Giles T. Cooper
Partner, Corporate | Hanoi Office
Giles Cooper was honored with the 2019 Pro Bono Leadership Award for his pro bono efforts with Towards Transparency, concerning how to establish a Business Integrity Forum in Vietnam. Towards Transparency seeks to reduce corruption by encouraging transparency, accountability and integrity in government, business and society. Giles also counseled the Vietnam Low Emission Energy Project (V-LEEP) on Vietnamese law and regulations with the aim of enabling the direct sale and purchase of renewably generated power between the generators and consumers.
2019 Duane Morris Asia Pro Bono Award
Tran Minh Thanh
Associate, Corporate | Hanoi Office
Tran Minh Thanh received the 2019 Pro Bono Award for his pro bono work with Towards Transparency on how to establish a Business Integrity Forum in Vietnam. Towards Transparency seeks to reduce corruption by encouraging transparency, accountability and integrity in government, business and society. Thanh also counseled Vietnam Low Emission Energy Project (V-LEEP), which works with the government of Vietnam, USAID and the United Nations to establish policy, regulatory and an incentive environment for low-emission growth and renewable energy.
Florida Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Award
Karen Chuang Kline, of the Boca Raton office, has been recognized with the Florida Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Award for the 15th Circuit. Karen has provided intellectual property assistance pro bono to various organizations, including Living Beyond Breast Cancer, Alliance for Kids, Children’s Healing Institute’s Teacup Preemie Program and Empowering Women in Technology Startups. She also represents groups supporting veterans and first responders such as America’s First Responders Foundation, Vet Jobs New England and SoldierStrong, all of which promote community economic development and veterans’ successes.
ABA Business Law Section 2018 National Public Service Award
Duane Morris has been honored with the American Bar Association's Business Law Section 2018 National Public Service Award, which recognizes significant pro bono legal services that demonstrate a commitment to providing assistance to the poor in a business context, as well as the achievements resulting from the public service work for the clients and the client groups represented.
2018 Duane Morris Pro Bono Award
Brian N. Biglin
Associate | Trial Practice Group | Newark Office
The award honors the outstanding service of an attorney who exemplifies Duane Morris’ commitment to pro bono service and has made a significant impact on an individual or community.
2018 Duane Morris Pro Bono Leadership Award
Julie S. Mebane
Partner | Real Estate Practice Group | San Diego Office
The award recognizes an attorney who exemplifies the spirit of pro bono: a selfless, long-standing and unwavering commitment to pro bono service; a leader by example who accepts pro bono matters without fanfare; and a pro bono contributor who encourages and mentors other firm attorneys in pro bono service.
2018 Duane Morris Asia Pro Bono Leadership Award
Arfat Selvam
Managing Director, Duane Morris & Selvam LLP | Singapore Office
Arfat Selvam was honored with the firm's inaugural Asia Pro Bono Leadership Award. Arfat has advised the Breast Cancer Foundation and other charitable organizations working to find a cure to breast cancer. Additionally, she aids Justice Without Borders, an international legal service provided aiding trafficking survivors in pursuing legal remedies against their exploiters, and she provides estate planning assistance to low-income seniors. Arfat is a director for the Law Society Pro Bono Services and was appointed as the Law Society Pro Bono Ambassador for 2017/2018.
New Jersey State Bar Association Pro Bono New Attorney Award
Brian N. Biglin, of the Newark office, received the New Jersey State Bar Association New Attorney Award. Brian has worked on several pro bono matters, including a prisoner civil rights case before the U.S. District Court in New Jersey where he represented an inmate who spent considerable time pretrial in a county jail that had so few accommodations for his wheelchair that he suffered a number of infections that exacerbated his medical condition. He is also representing, through the International Refugee Assistance Project Chapter at Rutgers University Law School, an Afghan man who served as a tactical interpreter for the United States Marines. Brian has also volunteered for several years in the firm’s efforts to aid survivors of commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking.
American Bar Association (ABA) Young Lawyers Division Child Advocacy Award & Philadelphia Bar Association 2018 Large Firm Management Committee Public Service Award
Theresa A. Langschultz, of the Philadelphia office, has been honored with the 2018 ABA Young Lawyers Division Child Advocacy Award for her representation of a gentleman unconstitutionally sentenced to life without parole as a juvenile. The client was resentenced to 30 years to life and paroled in May 2017. She also received the 2018 Large Firm Management Committee Public Service Award from the Philadelphia Bar Association. The award honors young lawyers who have made a difference in Philadelphia through extraordinary pro bono representation or public service to individuals or entities that address the challenges faced by communities of need in Philadelphia.
2017 Duane Morris Pro Bono Award
Christopher J. Tyson
Associate, Intellectual Property Practice Group | Washington, D.C. Office
The award honors the outstanding service of any attorney or group that exemplifies Duane Morris’ commitment to pro bono service and has made a significant impact on an individual or community.
2017 Duane Morris Pro Bono Leadership Award
Lisa T. Scruggs
Partner, Trial Practice Group | Chicago Office
The award recognizes an attorney who exemplifies the spirit of pro bono: a selfless, longstanding and unwavering commitment to pro bono service; a leader by example, who accepts pro bono matters without fanfare; and a pro bono contributor who encourages and mentors other firm attorneys in pro bono service.
The Veterans Consortium 2017 Law Firm Pro Bono Mission Partner
Duane Morris has been named The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program (TVC) 2017 Law Firm Pro Bono Mission Partner for its service to veterans and their families, caregivers and survivors. Duane Morris has worked with TVC for many years, providing pro bono representation to veterans at the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. In the fall of 2016, the firm worked with TVC and Neighborhood Legal Services Program (NLSP) to implement pop-up legal clinics at Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities in the D.C. Metro area, providing free advice to more than 200 veterans.
2016 Duane Morris Pro Bono Award
Luke P. McLoughlin
Associate, Trial Practice Group | Philadelphia Office
The award honors the outstanding service of any attorney or group that exemplifies Duane Morris’ commitment to pro bono service and has made a significant impact on an individual or community.
2016 Duane Morris Pro Bono Leadership Award
Denyse Sabagh
Partner, Employment, Labor, Benefits & Immigration; Chair, Immigration Practice Group | Washington, D.C. Office
The award recognizes an attorney who exemplifies the spirit of pro bono: a selfless, longstanding and unwavering commitment to pro bono service; a leader by example, who accepts pro bono matters without fanfare; and a pro bono contributor who encourages and mentors other firm attorneys in pro bono service.
Outward Bound Center for Peacebuilding: 2017 Partner in Peace Award
Outward Bound Center for Peacebuilding (OBCP) uses experiential education to challenge and inspire emerging leaders in divided societies to work together to build peace. Duane Morris helped OBCP establish as a not-for-profit entity in 2007 and has provided ongoing pro bono legal representation ever since. OBCP honored Michael D. Schwamm, a partner in the Corporate Practice Group, for his long-standing representation of the organization in a variety of matters.
Legal Clinic for the Disabled White Hat Award
Duane Morris is a recipient of The White Hat Award from the Legal Clinic for the Disabled (LCD). The White Hat Award recognizes individuals and organizations that have done outstanding work for LCD and its clients. The Legal Clinic for the Disabled (LCD) provides free legal services to low-income people with physical disabilities and to the deaf and hard of hearing.
City Bar Justice Center Jeremy G. Epstein Award for Outstanding Pro Bono Service
D.C. Mayor's Office for Veteran's Affairs Commendation
Supreme Court of Florida Law Firm Commendation Pro Bono Service Award
Duane Morris was honored with the Supreme Court of Florida Chief Justice’s Law Firm Commendation Pro Bono Service Award for 2016. The annual award recognizes a law firm that has contributed significant hours and effort to pro bono legal services to individuals or groups that cannot otherwise afford those services and shows an extraordinary commitment to provide access to the courts for all Floridians.
Circle Urban Ministries Corporate Partner Award
For more than five years, Duane Morris' Chicago office has provided a variety of pro bono legal services to Circle Urban Ministries. In recognition of the Firm’s assistance in real estate, corporate, housing and employment matters, Circle Urban Ministries presented the Firm with a Corporate Partner Award. Since 1974, Circle Urban Ministries has worked to combat poverty, improve the educational, social, and vocational opportunities for at-risk youth, and help stabilize low-income families by providing quality social services and community development to Chicago's Austin community. This includes after-school programs, a Charter school, church, food pantry, 96-bed women’s shelter, legal clinic and medical clinic.
Holden Benon is honored as a Pro Bono Hero of the Month in recognition of his success securing safe, affordable housing for a family of four in Oakland, CA. In fall 2020, Holden represented his client in a federal Section 1983 case concerning due process violations leading to the client’s wrongful termination from Section 8, federally subsidized housing via the Oakland Housing Authority (OHA). As a result of the termination, the client had been residing in his truck—separate from his family, who was living in public housing—for several years. Holden negotiated a settlement that included OHA: (1) issuing a new Section 8 voucher so the client, his fiancé and kids would be housed in a two-bedroom apartment; (2) paying $20,000 in damages; (3) removing any of the client’s existing economic barriers such as assisting with utilities debt, help finding a job, etc.; and (4) paying an additional $2,500 in a security deposit for a new apartment. .
Michael D. Butterman is honored as a Pro Bono Hero in celebration of his many years of pro bono service on behalf of numerous immigrant survivors of gender-based and domestic violence. Utilizing his prior experience with USAID in Latin America and his Spanish proficiency, Mike has spent many hours helping trauma survivors secure safety in the United States. In his most recent case, Mike helped his client, Aurora, obtain asylum in the U.S. after she fled decades of horrific domestic violence in Nicaragua, which was perpetrated by her partner and permitted by local police and authorities because of her partner’s prominent, political family. Mike secured asylum for Aurora and also petitioned for her sons – whom she left in the care of family and had not seen for four years – as derivatives. In early 2020, Mike obtained visas for the sons allowing them to come to the U.S. and live in safety with Aurora. Then, COVID-19 hit. Several months and four canceled flights later, Mike negotiated with the U.S. State Department in Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Consulate in Nicaragua to help organize a flight for the boys. On July 3, the sons, now 22 and 16 years old, reunited with their mother at Miami International Airport.
David J. Wolfsohn and Tyler Marandola are recognized as Pro Bono Heroes of the Month in celebration of their teamwork on behalf of five asylum clients in a year, in addition to assisting in other immigration matters. Together they have represented several transgender women fleeing homophobic violence in Latin America, as well as a mother and children fleeing years of physical/emotional abuse and stalking by their partner/father both in their home country and in the U.S. In each case, David and Tyler have gone above and beyond in their representation, formed positive, trusting relationships with their clients, researched evidence in third countries, and zealously represented their clients before the Executive Office of Immigration Review. This duo is a great example of partner/associate mentorship via pro bono, while supporting those in need in their community.
Angelica Zabanal’s recent pro bono service has focused on representing a family of five from El Salvador in their asylum applications and removal proceedings before the Executive Office of Immigration Review. The case has been difficult due to short deadlines imposed by the court and its initial refusal to stay proceedings until the father’s affirmative asylum application was decided. In response, Angelica and a team of Duane Morris attorneys filed a rare interlocutory appeal with the Board of Immigration Appeals, which led the immigration judge to reconsider his earlier decision, which would have likely led to removal orders for three of the five family members. On account of Angelica’s zealous advocacy, the family remains intact in the United States while awaiting the outcome of the father’s application.
Alice E. Snedeker recently obtained damages for an incarcerated client in a First Amendment retaliation claim. He client filed grievances for being denied adequate medical care for dental issues and was beaten up by officers as a result. Since joining Duane Morris, Alice has assisted pro bono clients in housing, veterans and immigration matters (including appeals to the Board of Immigration Appeals) with a variety of Atlanta-based legal services. She also helped draft amicus briefs before the Fifth Circuit challenging state regulations limiting women’s reproductive rights.
Rebecca E. Bazan and Heidi Lunasin, along with Christopher J. Tyson, and The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program started a new veteran's clinic, specifically for female-identifying veterans who are uncomfortable being treated in a setting with men due to their experiences with military sexual assault or other concerns. The first Women’s Information and Referral Clinic at the D.C. VA Medical Center was held on October 25, 2019, and the team provided advice to eight veterans on issues, including housing consumer law, VA service-connected disability benefits and military discharge upgrades. As stated by Claudia Daley, TVC’s manager of client and stakeholder outreach and communications, “Rebecca and Heidi were rock stars! The clinic was definitely well received and quite a few vets asked if we would be able to do it again.”
Sommer L. Ross is recognized as a Pro Bono Hero of the Month for her longstanding committment to pro bono service since she joined the firm as a first year associate. For more than a decade, she has assisted immigrant survivors of intimate partner violence, always has a least one case ongoing and mentors associates in each of her matters. Sommer has helped immigrants obtain asylum and lawful permanent residency in the United States, in addition to assisting her clients with protection from abuse orders, housing, benefits and other related legal matters. Sommer lends a kind, caring hand to each of her clients who have ranged from survivors of female genital circumcision to forced marriage, trafficking, gang violence, and extreme emotional abuse. Additionally, she has helped indigent debtors in bankruptcy actions through Philadelphia VIP, and she serves as the Pro Bono Committee member for the Wilmington office.
Rosanne Ciambrone is honored as a Pro Bono Hero for her unyielding representation of numerous pro bono clients and support of her Chicago office colleagues in other pro bono matters. Rosanne, along with Richard P. Darke, recently assisted their pro bono client, a prisoner of the Illinois Department of Corrections, in obtaining an overdue surgery for a “massive hernia” (as described by doctors, over 90 percent of his intestines were outside his body). Rosanne and the team obtained necessary medical care for the client after three prior law firms were appointed on the case and failed to achieve a successful result. Rosanne is also assisting a veteran suffering from a crippling dysthymic disorder, whose VA service-connected disability benefits were lowered to 30 percent from 70 percent. She is advocating for his benefits to be restored to 70 percent, while also tackling a new prisoner civil rights case through the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, in which her client endured unconstitutional conditions of confinement for six months.
Andrew K. Gordon, of the San Francisco office, is a Pro Bono Hero of the Month for his contributions as a Pro Bono Committee member. He has increased pro bono participation in the San Francisco office and serves as the on-the-ground resource for the pro bono team, helping to facilitate the program. Under Andy’s leadership, a team of attorneys from the San Francisco office, alongside the Northern California Innocence Project (NCIP), successfully prevailed in a writ of habeas corpus proceeding in Kings County, California leading to the reversal of child molestation convictions and the client’s release from prison where she spent the last 16 years on a 45 year to life sentence. This significant order eliminated the need for an evidentiary hearing. The state has set the matter for a retrial beginning May 20, in which Andy and the Duane Morris team will assist. The defense will be based on the lack of credible medical evidence and the inconsistent and unreliable testimony that had been presented against our client at the trial.
Marsha Madorsky, of the Miami office, is recognized as a Pro Bono Hero of the Month for her pro bono efforts throughout the firm’s Florida offices. Marsha has led the firm’s partnership with Dade Legal Aid to host “Wills on Wheels” clinics in Boca Raton and Miami. Through the clinics, volunteer attorneys draft wills and powers of attorney and provide intakes/advice on landlord/tenant disputes and service-connected disability benefits, as well as discharge upgrades for veterans, active duty military, and family members at the Miami Veterans Administration Hospital. Marsha also represents individuals seeking guardianship of family members, applying her extensive knowledge of estate, trust and guardianship law to her pro bono clients. Her efforts have helped the Miami and Boca offices reach 100 percent participation by attorneys and staff.
Christopher T. Grohman, of the Chicago office, has been recognized as a Pro Bono Hero of the Month. In 2018, Chris provided many pro bono hours to help individuals in federal criminal defense and prisoner civil rights (PCR) matters, including frequently helping other Chicago attorneys in their court-appointed PCR cases. In one case, Chris represented an indigent client at trial who served 10 years of a 21-year sentence, a prolonged portion of which the client was in solitary confinement. Chris successfully advocated to reduce the client’s sentence to no more than seven additional years given his time served and record while incarcerated. Chris is being celebrated for his commitment to championing defendants’ and prisoners’ constitutional rights and his lasting efforts to improve the criminal justice system.
Lewis Olshin, partner and deputy firm counsel, is recognized for his considerable pro bono efforts representing veterans in service-connected disability benefits appeals before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims and Veterans Administration, particularly during Duane Morris' annual Veterans Month of Service. Lew also has represented several families in obtaining guardianship of their loved ones who either were born without or no longer have legal capacity. In all of these matters, Lew actively mentors associates seeking courtroom experience. Prior to joining Duane Morris, Lew served as defense counsel, chief review officer, and staff prosecutor for the U.S. Marine Corps, 2nd Marine Division at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.
Barbara Howe Murray, of the San Diego office, is recognized for her leadership and formidable impact in improving the criminal justice system, including efforts with the California Innocence Project. A white-collar criminal defense attorney, Barbara has coordinated Duane Morris’ partnership with the California Innocence Project since 2016. To date, she has supervised the processing of more than 140 Stage 2 reviews, a necessary step to evaluate whether an inmate has a plausible claim of innocence. Barbara assigns the cases to pro bono attorneys, and then reviews each of the cases before approving the evaluation for submission. During her appointment by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California to the Criminal Justice Act Panel for the 1998 to 2000 term, she represented persons charged with federal crimes who were financially unable to obtain counsel.
William Shotzbarger petitioned the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County, Criminal Division, to reduce the sentence of an inmate, incarcerated as a juvenile, from life without parole to 30 years to life. William put together the Petitioner’s Mitigation Report that detailed the client's progress during 21 years of incarceration.
William was also part of a team that obtained a Quite Title Order on behalf of a pro bono client in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. The client’s home had been in his family’s name for 40 years until a fraudulent quitclaim deed was executed, notarized and recorded, purporting to transfer title to a neighbor. Despite convincing evidence of fraud surrounding the transaction, including the fact that the grantors were deceased at the time the deed was signed, the defendants raised numerous defenses, and the case was hotly litigated. In the middle of the deposition of the notary, the team reached a settlement in principle. As part of the settlement, Duane Morris obtained a settlement payment for the client in addition to the equitable relief.
William’s contribution to these cases and ongoing support for pro bono matters earn him recognition as Duane Morris Pro Bono Hero of the Month.
“Duane Morris is the epitome of what every law firm should be—generous and stand-up lawyers who do not perform pro bono work for fame or recognition, but simply because it is the right thing to do.”
—KAREN LADIS
Executive Director, Dade Legal Aid (Fla.)
Empowering Survivors of Gender-Based and Family Violence
In moments of profound vulnerability, legal advocacy becomes a lifeline—and collective action becomes a force for transformation. We stand with survivors of gender-based violence, helping them secure protection from abuse orders and reclaim safety and autonomy. We advocate for children—often the most legally underrepresented and vulnerable members of society—who face poverty, neglect and/or arrive in the United States as unaccompanied minors without a parent/guardian.
Our work also extends to immigrant survivors fleeing persecution, domestic violence and gender-based harm—many of whom seek refuge through asylum, humanitarian parole or protections under the Violence Against Women Act and United Nations Hague Convention on International Child Abduction. We also assist with citizenship, special immigrant juvenile status, temporary protected status, and defend those facing removal proceedings, standing beside them in their fight to remain in the country that has offered them safety.
Together in Service: Uplifting Veterans and Military Families
Duane Morris honors our veterans and military families who serve and protect—offering legal aid to them in disability and benefits appeals, discharge upgrades, homelessness prevention and a wide range of civil legal needs. Our work recognizes the sacrifices these men and women have made for the United States and helps solve significant problems that have arisen in their lives as a result of their service. Our attorneys also represent organizations committed to empowering veterans and veteran-owned small businesses.
Investing in Our Communities: Supporting Nonprofits, Microentrepreneurs and Inventors with Pro Bono Service
Thriving communities are built through shared effort and mutual support. Our attorneys work hand-in-hand with artists, inventors, nonprofit leaders, microentrepreneurs and small business owners who are driving innovation and economic resilience in the neighborhoods where we live and work.
Through our pro bono legal services, we help these changemakers navigate the complexities of business law—offering guidance on contract and lease review, entity formation, corporate governance, intellectual property protection, dispute resolution and tax planning. Each engagement is a step toward building stronger, more vibrant communities together.
Second Chances
In the words of Bryan Stevenson, founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative, “Each of us is more than the worst thing we’ve ever done.” Duane Morris recognizes the needs for second chances, new beginnings and clean slates, and aids individuals overcoming barriers to education, employment, housing and other opportunities due to past arrest and conviction records. Attorneys provide legal counsel and representation concerning criminal record remedies, driver’s license suspensions, occupational licensing, public and private housing applications and denials, and other legal issues.
Mobilizing Passionate Public Service Leaders: Equal Justice Works
Founded by law students, Equal Justice Works brings together an extensive network of law students, lawyers, legal services organizations and supporters to promote a lifelong commitment to public service and equal justice. Since 2022, Duane Morris has proudly sponsored Equal Justice Works fellows in collaboration with our corporate clients. With a two-year fellowship aimed at increasing equal access to justice for communities in need, this is just one way the firm helps invest in the next generation of public interest lawyers.
2024-2026: A recent graduate of University of Pennsylvania Law School, Brian Thomas joined Disability Rights Pennsylvania working to expand access to education and mental healthcare for children with disabilities in Philadelphia’s juvenile justice system, advocating for more community-based alternatives to detention and helping increase graduation rates and economic opportunities.
2022-2024: A recent graduate of Rutgers Law School – Camden, Moriah Mendicino is an urban educator turned public interest lawyer whose fellowship aimed to move individuals from despair to hope to action by working with Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity to create pardon projects for criminal record clearing in Philadelphia’s low-income/high-crime neighborhoods like Tioga-Nicetown and Strawberry Mansion.