Overview
2022 was a year of transition, with new leadership for Pro Bono & Philanthropy. Ashley Cano, formerly a partner in Labor & Employment, became our Pro Bono & Philanthropy partner, succeeding Allegra Nethery, who led our efforts for 15 impactful years. Ashley and Kimberly McClain, Pro Bono & Philanthropy manager, continued the department’s momentum by expanding our partnerships with clients on pro bono initiatives, victories in anti-racism impact work, research and policy support for civil rights organizations, and the delivery of legal services to nonprofits with sustainability-focused missions. The work further advances our mission of playing an active, positive role in the communities in which we work and live.
Pro Bono
In addition to our regular pro bono activities, Seyfarth attorneys and staff responded to the humanitarian crises in Afghanistan and Ukraine. Following the fall of Kabul, Seyfarth joined a coalition of law firms working to help Afghan journalists and other employees of The New York Times apply for asylum. Similarly, after Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine, Seyfarth joined a pro bono project developed by Lawyers for Good Government to help Ukrainians in the United States apply for Temporary Protected Status.
We also continued to partner with corporate clients on pro bono efforts. As one example, we teamed up with members of Deloitte’s in-house legal team and Legal Services NYC to host a virtual clinic for low-income transgender and gender nonconforming clients pursuing legal name changes, which are of huge emotional significance for those clients.
Charitable Giving
Through Seyfarth’s Charitable Foundation, we donated $1.25 million in 2022 in support of more than 300 charities, including legal aid organizations, our offices’ flagship charities, and nonprofits in which our people are personally involved. The Foundation also co-sponsored an Equal Justice Works Fellowship with United Airlines, our third co-sponsorship to date. Our newest Fellow, hosted by the National Immigrant Justice Center, is working to help immigrant children who have suffered abuse, neglect, or abandonment obtain Special Immigrant Juvenile Status. Seyfarth attorneys and staff support the project by helping those youths obtain the necessary predicate orders.
In the wake of widespread devastation caused by Hurricanes Fiona and Ian, our Foundation donated $25,000 to United Way of Puerto Rico, Save the Children, and World Central Kitchen in response to employee donations. Our Employee Assistance Fund, established with Foundation seed money and generous employee donations, also continued to help colleagues facing financial hardship due to natural disasters and other crises.
Community Service
For the sixth year, our Pro Bono & Philanthropy team organized a Global 5K in support of a nonprofit. This year’s charity was Stop the Traffik, a nonprofit that uses the power of people and technology to combat human trafficking. More than 260 Seyfarthians globally participated, raising over $12,000.
In addition, for Earth Day we joined Cotton Incorporated’s Blue Jeans Go Green denim recycling program, which helps divert textile waste away from landfills. And we partnered with Best Buddies, a nonprofit that helps individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities secure employment and leadership development opportunities. Seyfarth attorneys and staff volunteered to conduct mock interviews to help jobseekers develop interview skills.
2022 By the Numbers
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740
Pro Bono Clients Served
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21.2K
Pro Bono Hours
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$12.4M
Total Value of Pro Bono Time
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$351,102
Value of Time for Nonprofits / Small Businesses with Sustainability-Focused Missions
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$1.25M
Total Charitable Contributions
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326
Charities Supported