ATLANTA – March 21, 2018 – Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta, a tax-exempt organization that matches volunteer lawyers with local nonprofits in need of free legal counsel, recognized outstanding volunteer attorneys for their pro bono efforts at its annual reception on Tuesday, March 20 at the office of Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP.
Equifax received the “Corporation of the Year Award” for its contributions of time and legal expertise in helping Atlanta-area nonprofits. Fourteen Equifax attorneys worked on 19 pro bono matters in 2017 including Julia Houston, Chief Transformation Officer at Equifax, who accepted the award.
Paul Hastings received the “Law Firm of the Year Award” for its outstanding efforts in taking legal matters referred by PBPA. Over 400 Paul Hastings attorneys have volunteered with PBPA since 2005.
The 2018 Champion Award went to AT&T which, through its predecessor BellSouth, was a founding supporter of PBPA and has provided both significant volunteer and financial assistance to the organization since 2005.
PBPA also honored several individuals with a “Volunteer of the Year Award,” including Kathy Solley of Nelson Mullins, Anna Holcombe of Rollins, Brent Houk of UPS, and Jamie Konn of DLA Piper. PBPA also recognized the team of volunteer attorneys who assisted Hosea Feed the Hungry & Homeless with the relocation of its headquarters: An Tran and Mike Lee of Jones Day and Robert Shaw and Joseph Scibilia of Kilpatrick, Townsend & Stockton.
Elizabeth Omilami, CEO of Hosea Feed the Hungry & Homeless and a PBPA client, shared how the legal services provided through PBPA have aided her organization, including managing an unexpected relocation. She thanked the attorneys that volunteered over 250 hours to guide Hosea to its new operational home, at a value of over $90,000 in legal fees.
“Obviously, Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta would not exist without our volunteers and our donors. This event gives us a chance to thank them and to highlight the extraordinary efforts of some of our outstanding volunteers,” said Rachel Epps Spears, Executive Director of Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta.
Spears would also like to thank the event’s sponsors including Presenting Sponsor Clarivate Analytics/CompuMark, Sustaining Sponsor Aprio, and Supporting Sponsors Axiom Law, Discovery Litigation, Donnelley Financial Solutions, and State Bank & Trust Company.
PBPA provides free legal services to community-based nonprofits that operate programs benefiting low income or disadvantaged individuals. PBPA matches eligible organizations with volunteer attorneys from the leading corporations and law firms in Atlanta. Since it opened its doors thirteen years ago, PBPA has assigned and supported over 3,000 volunteer lawyers in aiding over 850 nonprofit clients. In 2017 alone, PBPA provided free legal services valued over $4.5 million to Atlanta-area nonprofits. PBPA is funded by donations from corporations, law firms, foundations, bar sections and individuals.