Mountain View, Calif. (August 13, 2015) – Fenwick & West is pleased to announce that Pro Bono Project Silicon Valley honored the firm as Philanthropist of the Year at its annual Lady Justice Innovates Benefit Dinner. The Pro Bono Project is a nonprofit organization that provides legal representation to low-income individuals through attorney volunteers, working to make justice accessible to all. The annual Lady Justice Innovates Benefit Dinner celebrates Silicon Valley innovation bringing legal assistance to everyone, regardless of their socioeconomic standing.
“We are thrilled to recognize Fenwick for their efforts to provide legal counsel to those who otherwise would not have had access,” said Sandra Madrigal, Pro Bono Project Silicon Valley’s executive director. “Fenwick lawyers represent a consistent part of our volunteer pool. In 2014, 370 pro bono attorney volunteers from Fenwick and other firms donated over $2.9 million in free legal services, allowing us to reach 8,700 low-income individuals. Fenwick has also been instrumental in creating our Virtual Pro Bono Project.”
At the dinner, the firm received special commendation for this support of the Pro Bono Project’s Virtual Pro Bono Project. The program is a joint undertaking with collaboration from the Pro Bono Project, Fenwick, Cisco Systems and DLA Piper. Through the program, clients in rural areas meet via web conferences with Fenwick lawyers who provide pro bono services.
“Our virtual model reduces travel time which allows more time to serve our pro bono clients,” Fenwick litigation partner and Chair of the Pro Bono Program Patrick Premo said. “The Virtual Pro Bono Clinic exemplifies Fenwick’s innovative culture and sustained commitment to giving back through pro bono service,” he added.
Pro Bono Project board member Sayuri Sharper said that the Virtual Pro Bono Project has seen excellent results. “We are excited by the impact the Pro Bono Project, Fenwick and our other volunteers have had in the community through this program. The need for legal assistance is great and we look forward to continued innovation to make justice universally accessible.”
Over the past five years, Fenwick attorneys and staff have logged almost 50,000 pro bono hours valued at close to $20 million in legal fees. Fenwick’s pro bono program includes civil rights, child advocacy and political asylum work, as well as impact litigation and death penalty cases, and advocacy for the Appellate Project, Street Law and AIDS Project.
The firm has received many other accolades for its pro bono work, including being named to The National Law Journal's 2014 Pro Bono Hot List and recognized by Euromoney as having the best pro bono program in North America two years in a row.
About Fenwick & West
Fenwick & West provides comprehensive legal services to ground-breaking technology and life sciences companies at every stage of their lifecycle. We craft innovative, cost-effective and practical solutions for established and emerging companies on issues ranging from venture capital, public offerings, M&A and strategic relationships, to intellectual property, litigation and dispute resolution, taxation, antitrust, and employment and labor law. For more than four decades, Fenwick has helped some of the world's most recognized companies become and remain market leaders. For information about a career at Fenwick visit us at fenwick.com/careers.