The Legal Aid Society’s 2007 Pro Bono Publico Awards symbolize the outstanding commitment of major New York City law firms to provide access to justice to low income children, families and individuals. 

Alan Levine (2nd row left), Chairman of the Society, and Court of Appeals Judge Carmen Beauchamp Ciparick (2nd row, right) presented the Pro Bono Publico and Public Service Law Firm Award to Daniel F. Kolb (next to Judge Ciparick), a Director of the Society, during the 2007 Pro Bono Awards Ceremony at Time Warner. Davis Polk & Wardwell was honored for its extrordinary pro bono commitment to the Society and its clients. The firm served as co-counsel with the Society's Prisoners' Rights Project on a federal lawsuit, which resulted in major improvements in psychiatric treatment for New York State prisoners with mentail illness. Gail A. Dedrick (lst row, left) Managing Web Editor, was honored for designing and creating an innovative website for the Society. Also pictured are (lst row) Candy M. Lawson and James W.B. Benkard and (2nd row) Nancy B. Ludmerer.

No where in the world is the commitment as strong as it is in New York City.  For more than 130 years, these law firms have served as the foundation of the Society’s pro bono program, providing representation to the most vulnerable New Yorkers, including senior citizens, disabled children and adults, survivors of domestic violence, immigrants, low-wage workers, persons living with AIDS/HIV, and homeless and imminently homeless children and adults, and to the most forgotten New Yorkers, including inmates in the jails on Rikers Island and prisoners in correctional facilities throughout the State of New York.    

PRO BONO PUBLICO and PUBLIC SERVICE LAW FIRM AWARD
Davis Polk & Wardwell is the recipient of the 2007 Pro Bono Publico and Public Service Law Firm Award for its extraordinary pro bono commitment to The Legal Aid Society and its clients. 

A long-time supporter of the Society, the firm has expanded its pro bono commitment by serving as co-counsel with the Society in a major federal  lawsuit, which resulted in significant improvements in psychiatric treatment for New York State prisoners with mental illness. The firm has provided pro bono representation on a continuing basis through the Criminal Appeals Bureau for prisoners in New York State correctional facilities who are appealing their convictions. Key members of the firm’s IT Department created a new website for the Society on a pro bono basis and continue to provide assistance. The firm’s support of The Legal Aid Society dates back to the early 1900s.  Several partners have served on the Society’s Board of Directors including Allen Wardwell, who was the President from 1926 through 1936.  Currently, Daniel F. Kolb is a member of the Board of Directors. He is being recognized for his outstanding service.

HONOR ROLL
In recogntion of the outstanding  pro bono commitment of the following law firms and corporation to The Legal Aid Society and its clients:

Law Firms
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP
Cahill, Gordon & Reindel LLP
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP
Cooley Godward Kronish LLP
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP
Davis Polk & Wardell
Debevoise & Plimpton LLP
Dechert LLP
Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP
Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP
Greenberg Traurig
Holland & Knight LLP
Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP
Kaye Scholer LLP
Latham & Watkins LLP
McKee Nelson LLP
Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP
Nixon Peabody LLP
O'Melveny & Myers LLP
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
Outten & Golden
Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
Proskauer Rose LLP
Pryor Cashman LLP
Shearman & Sterling LLP
Sidley Austin LLP
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett  LLP
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
Sullivan & Cromwell LLP
Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP

Corporations
CB Richard Ellis
InterSystems Corporation
Microsoft Corporation
NetApps