Valentine Brown

Several large Pennsylvania-based law firms devoted notably more time to pro bono work in 2016, according to a report released this week by The American Lawyer. ...

[I]ssues particular to the 2016 election may have also affected the ­interest in pro bono work across the board, said Valentine Brown, pro bono partner at Duane Morris.

"Because of how heightened the political season was, everyone was more engaged in general in community affairs," Brown said.

Rewarding Leadership, Partnering With Clients

Duane Morris also showed a big increase in pro bono activity, going from 33.6 hours per lawyer in 2015 to 47.2 in 2016. The firm's pro bono ranking increased from 94th to 66th among participating firms nationally. The firm took on five cases on behalf of individuals who were sentenced to life in prison as juveniles, for whom the U.S. Supreme Court mandated resentencing hearings. Duane Morris lawyers have also been heavily involved in the Clemency Project, Brown said, taking on 100 petitions, and started a citizenship campaign with the goal of helping 360 individuals gain ­citizenship within a year.

Brown, who became pro bono partner in 2015, said the firm now sets goals for pro bono work each year and encourages friendly competition between regional ­offices and departments. Duane Morris also instituted a partner leadership award for pro bono in 2016, she said. It already had a similar award for associates. ...

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