Pro Bono

At Brownstein, pro bono work isn't an obligation we endure, it's an opportunity we relish. It gives us the chance to give back to the communities that we love. It allows us to uphold our core professional values. And it provides enriching personal and professional experiences for our attorneys and staff.

We want our attorneys to feel the satisfaction that comes from serving the greater good, and we want our communities to benefit from our superior legal expertise and skill. That's why we strongly encourage all Shareholders and Associates to meet the American Bar Association's goal of 50 pro bono hours per year, and we allow attorneys to count up to 100 pro bono hours toward their billable requirements each fiscal year. Our pro bono policy is one of the most generous offered by big firms.

Through our pro bono work, Brownstein attorneys have touched the lives of a myriad of individuals who could not otherwise have afforded superior quality legal representation. We've advocated for abused and neglected children who are stuck in the morass of the foster care system, and we've helped adults who are transitioning from jail or prison to society. We've represented underprivileged women who are working to overcome discrimination and poverty, and we've provided free legal information to the public through phone hotlines.

The following are just some of the groups that we have had the privilege to work with through our pro bono program:

• The Alliance for Children's Rights, Adoption Day Program (California)
• American Bar Association Death Penalty Representation Project
• Children’s Advocacy Project (Nevada)
• Coastal Housing Coalition (California)  
• Colorado Lawyers Committee (Colorado)
• The Constitutional Rights Foundation, Appellate Court Experience Program (California)
• Court Appointed Special Advocates (California)
• Denver Bike Sharing (Denver, Colorado)
• Direct Relief Foundation and Direct Relief International (California)
• Dismas House (New Mexico)
• Faculty of Federal Advocates Bankruptcy Pro Bono Program (Colorado)
• Faculty of Federal Advocates Counsel/Co-Counsel Program (Colorado)
• Law Access New Mexico Volunteer Attorney Pool (New Mexico)
• Law Line 9 (Colorado)
• Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada (Nevada)
• Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara (California)
• Legal Night at Centro San Juan Diego (Colorado)
• Los Angeles County Bar Association, Domestic Violence Project (California)
• Metro Volunteer Lawyers (Colorado)
• Public Counsel, Immigrant's Rights Project (California)
• Rocky Mountain Children's Law Center (Colorado)
• Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network (Colorado)
• Southwest Women’s Law Center (New Mexico)

In addition, our attorneys work with the Colorado Lawyers Committee, a consortium of 55 Colorado law firms that do high-impact pro bono work for children, the poor and other disadvantaged groups, including the Election Task Force, Valdez Elementary School, the Hate Violence Task Force and Project Homeless Connect. In 2009, the Colorado Lawyers Committee recognized our pro bono contributions by making us one of four finalists for its Law Firm of the Year award.

Our attorneys are actively involved with Legal Aid of Southern Nevada’s Pro Bono Project. Eight of our attorneys were recognized at their 2010 Pro Bono Awards Luncheon for their contributions to residents of Clark County. Further, Kate Lowenhar-Fisher was honored with the 2009 Myrna Williams Children’s Pro Bono Award for giving a voice to Clark County’s most vulnerable victims through her passionate advocacy for young victims of abuse and neglect.

Passionate commitment. That's how we at Brownstein feel about our pro bono services. We know we are in a unique position to help underserved people and organizations, and we value each opportunity to do so.