1. 2013 First Year Associates: Building Your Career Through Pro Bono Representation
11 October 2013

2. What makes a great lawyer?
Deliver results for clients.
Demonstrate good judgment.
Develop creative approaches.
Analyze the situation and the law.
Use all the firm’s resources.
Write and communicate clearly.
Lead from every level.
Be the calm head in any situation.

3. What makes a great lawyer?
This is a long list, but our pro bono practice gives you the opportunity to build your career through every one of these areas.
Here are some examples – but they are only a few among the 657 Akin Gump lawyers who worked on pro bono matters in 2012.

4. Deliver results for clients.
Jenny Walters (Dallas) – persuaded Texas Legislature to enact Texas American Indian Heritage Day.

5. Demonstrate good judgment.
Jake Weixler (DC) – advised African child welfare non-profit in “bet the business” crisis after it uncovered abuses by founder.

6. Use all the firm’s resources.
Marcella Burke (HO) – representing family of disabled girl denied military medical benefits for life-saving horse-based therapy – used non-profit foundation, web development, legislative action, litigation.

7. Analyze the situation and the law.
Brett Fieldston (NY) – advised B2D, Haitian rural alternative energy company, on complex tax structure to speed its way to market.

8. Lead from every level.
Justin Radell (LA) – evolved from key associate on KIPP financing deals to lead on Junior Blind merger.

9. Write and communicate clearly.
James Tysse (DC) – argued and won landmark human rights case in Fourth Circuit.

10. Develop creative approaches.
Rafi Prober (DC) – using litigation, legislation, public relations to advocate for reparations from French railroad for Holocaust survivors.

11. Go outside your comfort zone.
Julie Street (LA – but also HK & AU) – represented asylum client from Cameroon in Asylum Office interview.

12. What else do these great lawyers have in common?
Diligent about reporting back, but working independently.
Sought mentors around the firm, at every level – and they can now be your mentors.

13. Pro Bono Policies
Our commitment: average at least 60 pro bono hours per lawyer per year.
We have met our commitment every year since 2007, exceeding it substantially in recent years.
Our success is across offices and practice groups
Associates averaged 132 pro bono hours in 2012.

15. Pro Bono Policies How do we get new pro bono matters?
Via local and national legal services organizations
Attorneys bring matters in
Referrals from other organizations
Pro bono “business development”
Every new pro bono matter must be approved
Does it qualify as pro bono?
Does it present any positional or business conflicts?
Do we have the expertise and resources?

16. Pro Bono Policies Approvals from Local office pro bono committee chair
AU – Michael Simons
DA – Dan Micciche
DC – Steven Schulman
HO – Phyllis Young
LA – David Stein
NY – Joseph Sorkin
PH – Kate Katchen
SA – Ricky Rosenblum
SF – Amit Kurlekar
Practice group head of every staffed counsel/associate
Pro Bono Partner (final approval)

17. Principal Areas of Practice: Education Reform
KIPP
18 schools/regions and KIPP Foundation
More than 15,000 hours since 2006
Finance, real estate, contract negotiations, litigation, school reviews
EdVillage
StudentsFirst
Corporate/employment advice
Policy matters
4.0 Schools
Teach for America
New Leaders

18. Principal Areas of Practice: International Development
Global Partnerships
Microfinance
Grassroots Business Fund
Mobile Transactions Zambia
Fonkoze USA
Micro-lending in Haiti
B2D
Biomass electricity in Haiti
Koingass Wind Farm
South Africa

19. Principal Areas of Practice: Human Rights & Refugees
Asylum, VAWA and other immigration cases in every office
Dallas: Human Rights Initiative, ProBar
DC: Tahirih Justice Center, Human Rights First, CAIR Coalition
NY: inMotion, Legal Aid Society of DC, Scholar Rescue Fund
Human rights litigation
Mamani v. Sanchez de Lozada (S.D. Fla/11th Cir)
Yousuf v. Samantar (E.D. Va./4th Cir. /SCOTUS)

20. Principal Areas of Practice: Policy Matters
Appleseed, Texas Appleseed, NY Appleseed, NM Appleseed
Investigations, reports & advocacy on issues affecting low income individuals
Immigration court and detention reform
Food programs
Payday lending
Opportunity Nation
Convergence

21. Principal Areas of Practice: Soldiers & Families
Semper Fi Injured Marines Fund
Danielle Hackett
Medal of Honor appeals
ABA & Texas Bar Legal Access for Military Personnel (“LAMP”)
Our Military Kids

22. Principal Areas of Practice: Poverty Law
Social Security Disability
Housing issues
Family law: adoption, custody, divorce, name changes

23. Working with Commercial Clients
Helped Walmart establish an in-house pro bono practice and a medical-legal partnership with Arkansas Children’s Hospital and expand MLPs at children’s hospitals around the country
Helping other clients

24. Funding the next generation of public interest lawyers
Lindsay Harris, Tahirih Justice Center,
Zoe Levine, Bronx Defenders,
Amelia Fischer, Texas Civil Rights Project,
Jonathan Killoran, Inner City Law Center (LA),
Kristen Selnau, Arkansas Legal Aid (with Walmart),

25. Finding the next generation of law firm pro bono lawyers
9 associates are PBS alums
Jake Weixler (DC)
Sheila McCorkle (DC)
Josh Sekoski (DC), Hammad Ahmed (DC)
2011 – Daniel Graver (DC), Abigail Kohlman (DC), Marie Mercier (NY), Lech Wilkiewicz (DA), John Clayton (DA)

26. Why Should I Get Involved?
Some pro bono myths (from parody site Anonymous Law Firm.com):
“The Firm believes that behind every successful lawyer is colleague involved in community service and pro bono activities…”
Some of the most successful lawyers in our firm (in terms of profitability and profile) are also heavily involved in our pro bono practice.
“We are proud to count pro bono hours as equal to billable hours, except for the purposes of bonus calculation and promotion…”
Akin Gump counts pro bono hours as client hours, which are treated as equal to billable hours for bonus and promotion.
“Each summer we are proud to select a Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year. The selected attorney is celebrated at a banquet in his or her honor. The prize is two weeks of severance pay. Following the banquet, the winner is fired…”
….well, that actually happens, of course.

27. Why Should I Get Involved?
Let the pro bono practice help build your career
Lead your own matter
Develop skills and experiences
Address a judge
Advise a client – even an unhappy and demanding one
Write for filing
Expand your internal & external networks
Do something that inspires you.

28. How Should I Get Involved?
Contact your pro bono committee chair
AU – Michael Simons
DA – Dan Micciche
DC – Steven Schulman
HO – Phyllis Young
LA – David Stein
NY – Joseph Sorkin
PH – Kate Katchen
SA – Ricky Rosenblum
SF – Amit Kurlekar
Propose new matters
Contact me any time