News

Volunteer Recognition: 2011 Cornerstone Honorees

  • 12/13/2011
  • Lawyers Alliance for New York

New York, NY, November 09, 2011 --

Lawyers Alliance for New York Presents 2011 Cornerstone Awards for pro bono excellence.

Two law firms and nine individuals recognized for business and transactional law pro bono.

This year's honorees have devoted substantial time and legal expertise, far above and beyond the expected bounds of the pro bono relationship, to enable nonprofit organizations to provide vital programs and services during difficult financial times. - Thomas H. Kennedy, Chair of the Board of Directors of Lawyers Alliance.


    

2011 Cornerstone Award Winners

Back row, left to right: Bob Craft, Holland & Knight LLP; John Toriello, Holland & Knight LLP; George M. Williams jr, Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP; Junaid H. Chida, Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP; Joseph Guay, Holland & Knight LLP; Jack P. Flanagan, Paul Hastings LLP; and Louis Vlahos, Farrell Fritz, P.C.                                                                                                                              

Front row, left to right: Craig A. Katerberg, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP; John Snyder, Jackson Lewis LLP; Marjorie Kaye, Jr., Jackson Lewis LLP; Terri L. Chase, Jones Day; Matthew B. Zisk, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP; Christine L. Roch, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP; and Stephen H. Kinney, Jr., Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP


Two law firms - Holland & Knight LLP and Jackson Lewis LLP - are recipients of the 2011 Cornerstone Awards, which recognize outstanding pro bono legal services to nonprofit groups that are improving quality of life for low-income New Yorkers. Lawyers Alliance for New York presents these awards annually to recognize top pro bono work by business and transactional lawyers. In addition, Lawyers Alliance bestowed 2011 Cornerstone Awards to nine individual attorneys, selected from almost 1,500 attorneys in Lawyers Alliance's volunteer network.

This year's institutional Cornerstone awardees are:

Holland & Knight LLP: This global law firm has demonstrated its deep community commitment by steadily handling a wide array of sophisticated business and transactional law matters, including more than 35 pro bono projects for Lawyers Alliance clients since 2001. For example, corporate attorneys assisted the Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York with the creation of a Nonprofit Outsourcing Clearinghouse; real estate attorneys advised several housing, economic development and educational organizations on office leases and affordable housing finance projects; and intellectual property lawyers counseled multiple nonprofit organizations about copyright issues and licensing agreements.

Jackson Lewis LLP: This leading workplace law firm is being honored for its high standard of service and enthusiasm when assisting nonprofit organizations on a pro bono basis. Since the firm began partnering with Lawyers Alliance on employment law matters just three years ago, it has assisted 18 different Lawyers Alliance clients, including Head Start programs, charter schools, settlement houses, senior centers, large social service agencies, and other community organizations. With pro bono legal guidance related to hiring, supervision, termination and other worker issues, these organizations are better able to devote their limited financial and human resources to improving the quality of life in New York City neighborhoods.

"The institutional Cornerstone Awards reflect significant breadth and depth of business and transactional law pro bono. Holland & Knight and Jackson Lewis have shown unwavering commitment to these nonprofit clients," said Sean Delany, Executive Director of Lawyers Alliance.

This year's individual Cornerstone awardees are:

Terri L. Chase, Jones Day: For her trusted employment law advice and counsel, which strengthened five different community-based organizations serving New Yorkers of all ages.

Junaid H. Chida and George M. Williams jr, Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP: For their significant partner leadership that helped five low-income federal credit unions to receive a total of more than $4 million in funding through the Community Development Capital Initiative.

Jack P. Flanagan, Paul Hastings LLP: For his sophisticated legal assistance with commercial real estate matters that helped six nonprofit organizations with leasing, real estate financing, and other evolving needs.

Craig A. Katerberg, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP: For making pro bono a key component of his legal career from the start and providing strategic corporate law assistance that is helping six youth and other nonprofit organizations thrive.

Stephen H. Kinney, Jr., Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP: For leading and coordinating his firm's ongoing volunteer counsel services for The Regional Emergency Medical Services Council of New York City, an attorney-client relationship that he has spearheaded since 1997.

Christine L. Roch, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP (formerly of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP): For her dedicated real estate law guidance, which furthers the economic development and affordable housing work of Community Access, United Community Centers, and YM and YWHA of Washington Heights and Inwood.

Louis Vlahos, Farrell Fritz, P.C.: For sharing his own tax and corporate law expertise and serving as an outstanding pro bono contact for colleagues and clients at his firm, thereby ensuring high-quality and coordinated pro bono services to 11 dynamic nonprofit clients seeking legal assistance through Lawyers Alliance.

Matthew B. Zisk, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP: For repeatedly providing valuable intellectual property counsel to protect the programs and services of a range of nonprofit clients, including those that assist young children, support financial security and adult literacy, and encourage commercial activity in low-income neighborhoods.

"Lawyers Alliance for New York is proud to honor the individual recipients of the 2011 Cornerstone Awards for their superlative commitment to organizations that serve the neediest New Yorkers," said Elizabeth Guggenheimer, Deputy Executive Director of Lawyers Alliance.

For more information on each honoree, visit http://lawyersalliance.org/news_legal_alerts.php#14.


About Lawyers Alliance for New York: Lawyers Alliance for New York is the leading provider of business and transactional legal services for nonprofit organizations that are improving the quality of life in New York City neighborhoods. Our network of pro bono lawyers from law firms and corporations and staff of experienced attorneys work together, delivering expert corporate, tax, real estate, employment, and other legal services to community organizations. By connecting lawyers, nonprofits, and communities, we help nonprofits to develop affordable housing, stimulate economic development, and operate vital programs for children and young people, the elderly, recent immigrants, and other low-income New Yorkers. During the past year, the 14 staff attorneys at Lawyers Alliance worked with 1,484 volunteer attorneys from the City's finest law firms and corporate legal departments to represent 625 nonprofit clients on 1,014 matters.

Inquiries: Please contact Marketing and Communications Coordinator Emily Crossan at 212-219-1800 ext. 233 with questions or requests for additional information. 

Topics:
  • Childcare
  • Youth Services
  • Tax Exemption
  • Affordable Housing and Homelessness
  • Real Estate
  • Mergers, Strategic Alliances and Reorganization
  • Labor and Employment
  • Intellectual Property
  • Contracts
  • Economic Development
  • Incorporation
  • Corporate Governance
  • Other Tax
  • Representing Microentrepreneurs