Release: Immediate
Contact: Jim Nayder
Email: jnayder@staff.abanet.org
URL: www.abanet.org/media/news.html
CHICAGO, April 3, 1998 -- Each year, thousands of Americans benefit from pro bono (free) legal services provided by individual lawyers, law firms, and corporate legal departments. For many, pro bono legal services come at a time of crisis, when the assistance of a lawyer is vital -- but not always affordable.
Because of the importance of pro bono services, the American Bar Association's Business Law Section created its National Public Service Award, which is given to recognize significant pro bono services rendered to the poor in a business context, and the achievements resulting from the public service work for the clients and the client groups represented. The 1998 awards, being given to a law firm and individual lawyer, will be presented at the section's Spring Meeting in St. Louis on April 5.
The Individual award is being presented to Marion A. Cowell Jr., executive vice president and general counsel, First Union National Bank, Charlotte, N. C. The Law Firm award is being presented to Goulston & Storrs of Boston.
Cowell is being honored for his work in the development and delivery of legal services to the poor of North Carolina. Cowell's initiatives include:
- The development and adoption of First Union Bank's policy on pro bono for its legal departments in North Carolina.
- Ensuring that First Union's legal department pro bono work focused on rural delivery, offering volunteer services to rural clients.
- Developing policy that requires vendor law firms doing business with First Union to demonstrate their commitment to pro bono services.
- Developing pro bono policy for the Attorney General of North Carolina to create statewide policy.
Cowell is a charter member of the North Carolina Minority Demonstration Project, and the pro bono member of the Corporate General Counsel Committee of the Business Law Section.
The firm of Goulston & Storrs provides legal aid, community resources, management and organizational support to STRIVE, a pre-eminent inner city training service provider. STRIVE was co-founded in 1994 by members of Goulston & Storrs, who organized its tax-exempt status, fund raising activities, site location, and overall strategic planning. Goulston & Storrs continues to serve as general counsel to STRIVE, helping inner-city men and women find employment.
The purpose of STRIVE is to instill a positive attitude about themselves in "hard to employ" adults and to help them secure employment. In addition to STRIVE, Goulston & Storrs is committed to community pro bono work including clients such as: The Lawyers Clearinghouse on Affordable Housing and Homelessness; Massachusetts Legal Clinic for the Homeless; Holt International Children's Services; YouthBuild, USA, and Coretta Scott King.
These awards are an outgrowth of the ABA section program "A Business Commitment (ABC)," which is designed to match business lawyers and their areas of expertise with those unable to afford a lawyer.
The 1998 award winners fulfilled the following criteria:
- Demonstrated dedication to the development and delivery of legal services to the poor through a pro bono program;
- Contributed to developing innovative approaches to delivery of volunteer legal services;
- Participated in an activity that resulted in satisfying previously unmet needs or in extending services to underserved segments of the population; and
- Provided sustained counsel to poor or underserved individuals or organizations.
For more information on the ABC awards, contact Lisa Alicea, ABA Section of Business Law, 750 North Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, Ill. 60611, 312/988-5588.
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