DLA Piper is pleased to announce the establishment of an annual fellowship program that will allow two new associates to dedicate their first year of work at the firm to pro bono matters.

The DLA Piper/Krantz Fellowship Program is a tribute to Sheldon Krantz, who recently served as a partner at DLA Piper and as director of New Perimeter, the firm’s global pro bono affiliate, since its inception in 2005. Krantz retired on June 30, 2011 after a distinguished career as a premier white collar lawyer, pro bono leader and tireless mentor to students, associates and junior partners. His commitment to developing and expanding New Perimeter has been critical to its success over the past six years in addressing problems of global concern in developing and post-conflict countries.

“Sheldon’s unwavering devotion to pro bono, the practice of law and legal education is nothing short of extraordinary,” said Lee Miller, joint Chief Executive Officer of DLA Piper. “This program is a wonderful tribute to the countless individuals he has helped through his pro bono service and mentoring.”

The inaugural program will award fellowships to two law students joining the firm as associates in 2012. Recipients will be paid the same salary as all first-year associates, but will be assigned full-time to work with the firm’s pro bono department during their first year at DLA Piper. Fellows will work on New Perimeter projects underway throughout the world and DLA Piper’s signature pro bono projects in the U.S. In doing so, they will play a key role in growing the firm’s pro bono program while gaining opportunities to develop management and leadership skills.

“As our pro bono program continues to grow and evolve, the launch of this fellowship program is an important milestone in advancing the firm’s international and domestic pro bono efforts,” said Elizabeth Dewey, director of New Perimeter and U.S. pro bono partner for DLA Piper. “We look forward to the expected contributions these new fellowship recipients will bring to New Perimeter and our domestic signature projects.”

About New Perimeter (www.newperimeter.org) Launched in 2005, New Perimeter is DLA Piper’s non-profit affiliate dedicated exclusively to international pro bono work. DLA Piper attorneys are selected for New Perimeter projects on a competitive basis and work on cohesive and multi-disciplinary project teams that typically include spending time in-country as a key element of their assignments. Attorneys from DLA Piper's offices around the world provide legal assistance on a diverse series of projects in such areas as law reform, human rights, economic development, hunger relief and supporting legal education in developing and post-conflict countries.

About DLA Piper Signature Projects (www.dlapiperprobono.com/impact/signatureprojects) In the United States, DLA Piper’s signature pro bono projects are designed to commit significant resources to tackle systematic issues. These projects aim to develop innovative solutions to vexing social problems including education, hunger relief, juvenile justice, access to justice, domestic violence and serving veterans. DLA Piper’s signature projects are often developed in partnership with nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, foundations and the firm’s corporate clients.

About DLA Piper (www.dlapiper.com) DLA Piper has 4,200 lawyers in 30 countries and 76 offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia Pacific and the Middle East. In certain jurisdictions, this information may be considered attorney advertising.