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Pro Bono Pro Bono Section

Awards and Honors

The outstanding work of our lawyers has been recognized by a number of organizations and we also are proud to present Golden Gavel awards each year to recognize our lawyers for their outstanding efforts in a broad array of projects that help people and families around the world.

2013 Awards & Honors  

  • The New York State Bar Association honored Proskauer with the President's Pro Bono Service Award for the First Judicial District on May 1, Law Day, in recognition of outstanding work in the Clark v. Astrue case. Proskauer lawyers Russell Hirschhorn, Steven Obus, Bettina Plevan and Brian Rauch were honored for leading the case.
  • The Urban Justice Center honored Proskauer at the annual UJC Community Justice Awards for its instrumental work with the organization. Proskauer partnered with the Urban Justice Center in the case Clark v. Astrue, which helped as many as 140,000 Americans nationwide get their Social Security or Supplemental Security Income benefits restored.

  • Common Cause honored Proskauer for our work with the 2012 Election Protection Project organized by The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights under Law.

  • My Sisters' Place presented Proskauer with the Voices for Change award.

2012 Awards & Honors  

  • The New York State Bar Association honored Proskauer with a Silver Supporter Award.
  • Proskauer was awarded the Pro Bono Service Award by the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles.

  • At the sixth annual Golden Gavel Awards, 46 lawyers and staff were honored for their outstanding service to pro bono clients. Our 2012 Golden Gavel recipients: Margo Lyon, Carl Forbes, Jr., Andrew Thomson, Michael Gallinari, Kate Luarasi, Steven M. Kayman, Patrick M. Murphy, Robert M. Kaufman, Bradley J. Lorden, Elissa Landes, Nigel F. Telman, Winston Martinez, Vivian W. Ho, Susan C. McAleavey, Jennifer C. Wheater, David S. Mordkoff, Nancy Sher Cohen, David M. Munkittrick, Sarah Kroll-Rosenbaum, Benjamin M. Rattner, Shawn S. Ledingham, Anne C. Reddy, Lois D. Thompson, Michael P. Richter, Mira Serrill-Robins, Jennifer R. Scullion, G. Samuel Cleaver, Jonathan P. Shaub, Susan R. Goldfarb, Charles S. Sims. Julianne Apostolopoulos, Richard L. Spinogatt, Jonathan S. Hershberg, Erika M. Stallings, Page W. Griffin, Jared Zajac, Neil H. Abramson, Stéphanie Martinier, Jeffrey R. Escobar, Sally M. Handmaker, Tanya Facey, Kimberly Harmison, Rachel S. Fischer, Richard H. Rowe, Jessica P. Fisher, Ravinder S. Sandhu.

  • Proskauer was honored by the Mental Health Project of the Urban Justice Center for its work in Clark v. Astrue.

  • Interise honored Proskauer with the newly established Exceptional Ally Award. The award was given in recognition of the Firm’s significant contribution to the advancement of the company’s mission to stimulate revitalization in lower income communities.

2011 Awards & Honors  

  • Citizens for Juvenile Justice honored Pro Bono Initiative Committee Chair Scott Harshbarger with its Leadership Award.
  • The New York State Bar Association honored the Firm with a Gold Supporter Award and recognized a record 139 Proskauer lawyers as Empire State Counsel at the 11th annual "Justice for All" luncheon.
  • Thirteen DC attorneys were named to the Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll, for providing 50+ hours of pro bono work during 2011. Eight of these attorneys were recognized on the “High Honor Roll" for providing at least 100 hours of pro bono service.
  • At the fifth annual Golden Gavel Awards, 24 lawyers and staff were honored for their outstanding service to pro bono clients. Our 2011 Golden Gavel recipients: Adam Rottenberg, Aimee Taub Bandler, Peter Samuels, Jill Streja, Robert Escalante, Audrey Bender, Lucia Deng, Albert Gortz, Patrick Lamparello, Brian Gershengorn, Matthew Queler, Joseph Cohen, John Nader, Stephen Rubin, Kelly Anne Targett, Frank White, Stuart Kapp, Marianne Le Moullec, Ronald Wood, Nicole Eichberger, Colin Cabral, Joan Hoffman, Stephen Strobach, Johanna Pitcairn.
  • International Litigation Counsel Eric Blinderman was honored by the New York State Bar Association with the President's Pro Bono Service Award for the First District.
  • Boston Associate Frank White was presented with a 2011 Outstanding Service Award by the Political Asylum / Immigration Representation (PAIR) Project.
  • Proskauer received the S. Jeanne Hall Pro Bono Service Award 2011 from Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts.
  • New York Partner Ron Sernau was honored for his extensive pro bono work on behalf of Harlem Village Academies at the organization's annual gala.
  • Lawrence Elbaum was honored with a Family Defender Award for his work on behalf of Brooklyn Family Defense Project.
  • Lani Butler, Joe Cohen, Lisa Herrnson and Marc Mandelman were honored with the "Volunteer Appreciation Award" in recognition of their outstanding pro bono work by the Children's Law Center New York.
  • Seth Fier was honored by The Legal Aid Society at its 2011 Pro Bono Publico Awards for his pro bono work. The Firm was also recognized, receiving an award for our extern program for deferred Associates.
  • Proskauer's Boston office was recognized by the Middlesex District Attorney for their support of the 209A Domestic Violence Initiative.

2010 Awards & Honors

  • Jennifer Scullion received the Brooks R. Burdette Best New Board Member Award from the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.
  • Legal Services NYC recognized Ilise Alba, Nathaniel Birdsall, Evan Citron, Lawrence Elbaum, Klaus Eppler, Brian Friedman, Pauline Kim, Jeffrey Levitan, Lisa Stern, Earl White, and Elise Yablonski for their work providing critical legal representation to low income New Yorkers.
  • Proskauer was presented with a 2010 Pro Bono Publico Award for outstanding service to The Legal Aid Society and its clients. Gabriel Grossman, Stacey Klein, and Yafang Deng were also honored with individual awards for their work.
  • The New York State Bar Association presented Proskauer with a Gold Award at the tenth annual "Justice for All" luncheon in recognition of our commitment to pro bono service. A record 130 Proskauer lawyers were also honored with the title Empire State Counsel.
  • At the fourth annual Golden Gavel Awards, 48 individuals from 11 offices were honored for their outstanding service to pro bono clients. Former Proskauer Chairman Allen I. Fagin, who founded the firm’s Pro Bono Initiative five years ago, was also presented a special award for his leadership. Our 2010 Golden Gavel recipients: Christopher D. Ahn, Andrea N. Anderson, Timothy R. Bachman, Meredith Bailey, Rebecca N. Barnes, Noemi A. Blasutta, Michael J. Ciaccio, Evan B. Citron, Gregory J. Couillou, Sylvia Dallas, Jonathan G. Ellison, Pablo Franco, Susan D. Friedfel, Angela Frontiera, Cristina Godinez, Gabriel Grossman, Edna Guerrasio, Richard I. Haddad, Andrew L. Hoffman, Caroline Huber, John Ingrassia, Scott S. Jones, Pauline S. Kim, Stacey P. Klein, Francis D. Landrey, Rachelle L. Laroche, Christine G. Lazatin, Heather G. Magier, Elizabeth M. Mills, Ivania Munguia, Brian S. Neulander, Megha Parekh, Patti Phillips, John W. Pint, Sarah Reisman, Jennifer L. Roche, David Rowan, Vanessa Ruffa, Mark A. Saloman, Peter J.W. Sherwin, S. Montaye Sigmon, Suzanne E. Solomon, Philip M. Susswein, Yuval Tal, Nicholas Vasquez, Thomas G. Wright, Richard J. Zall, and M. David Zurndorfer.
  • Katharine Parker was honored by the New York City Bar Justice Center with the Jeremy G. Epstein Award for Pro Bono Service for her work on behalf of the Cancer Advocacy Project.
  • Stuart Kapp was honored with the Royal Poinciana Community Leadership Award from pro bono client Debbie's Dream Foundation.
  • Proskauer received the Law Firm Pro Bono Award at the William O. Douglas Award Dinner in Los Angeles, sponsored by Public Counsel.
  • The New York State Bar Association honored a record 102 Proskauer lawyers as Empire State Counsel at the ninth annual "Justice for All" luncheon.

2009 Awards & Honors

  • At the third annual Golden Gavel Awards, Proskauer recognized 28 individuals from 10 offices who have distinguished themselves through their pro bono work. Special awards were presented Eric Blinderman, for his work on behalf of Iraqi refugees with The List Project, and Anthony Pacheco, for his efforts in two terms as President of the Los Angeles Police Commission. Also recognized were the 160 lawyers who logged more than 100 pro bono hours in 2009. Our 2009 Golden Gavel recipients: Sandra Badin, Rebecca Berkebile, Nathaniel Birdsall, Sharada Devarasetty, Seth Fier, Jed Friedman, Neta-Li Gottlieb, Anna Kaminska, Gitta Kaplan, William Komaroff, Gary Kovacs, Jennifer Kramer, Kara Lincoln, Amanda Nussbaum, Matthew Queler, Keri Reid, Valérie Lafarge Sarkozy, Olivier Savelli, James Segroves, Randi-Lynn Smallheer, Catherine Spector, Brendon Tavelli, Paresh Trivedi, Albert Valencia, Steven Weise, Earl White, and William Yonge.
  • Proskauer was honored with the Volunteers of Legal Service Pro Bono Award at the VOLS 25th Anniversary reception.
  • At the Fourth Annual W. Haywood Burns Gala, the Firm was honored with a Special Recognition Award from the Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem.
  • The Firm received a 2009 Pro Bono Award from the Legal Aid Society for the Juvenile Rights Appellate Project. Steve Kayman and Nicole Spooner were also presented with individual awards.
  • Lawrence Elbaum received Sanctuary For Families' Award for Excellence in Pro Bono Advocacy at the Above and Beyond benefit.
  • Hazel Malcolmson was honored as VLA Pro Bono Attorney of the Month for November.
  • At the 2009 Pro Bono Awards breakfast for the New York City Family Court Volunteer Attorney Program, Rebecca Ambrose, Ira Bogner, Stephen Brecher, Phil Caraballo-Garrison, Evan Citron, Stuart Cohen, Steven Einhorn, Hope Garcia, Stacey Klein, Julie McCane, Allison Meyer, Ryan Searfoorce, Sally Schneider, Matthew Shiels, Lauren Smythe, and Hoi-Ling Wong were recognized for their work advising unrepresented litigants in Family Court.
  • The Firm received an award from the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law recognizing our work on election issues.
  • Sharada Devarasetty was recognized by Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone for her contributions to the 209A Domestic Violence Initiative.
  • The Firm was recognized by the National Law Journal for our work on the Iraqi Human Rights Project.