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Pro Bono Awards & Recognition
Legal Aid Society 2006 Pro Bono Awards
The firm, with the Legal Aid Society, co-hosted the Legal Aid Society 2006 Pro Bono Awards in the New York office in November 2006. The ceremony honored law firms, attorneys, paralegals, individuals and corporations committed to the cause of equal justice. Saralyn Cohen, pro bono counsel and director of pro bono, received an award for expanding translation services in support of litigation on behalf of the Society’s immigrant clientele. Partner Linda Rappaport (NY-ECEB), a director of the Society, received an award for her service to the organization. Associate Eva Rasmussen (NY-ECEB) and actuary Mary Riebold were also honored for their work for the Society.
—Legal Aid Society, November 2006
Associate honored for work involving women’s issues
Associate Lisa Bagley (NY-LT) was honored by Sanctuary for Families' Center for Battered Women's Legal Services in New York. Bagley was recognized for her outstanding pro bono work in three cases – two involved complex gender-based asylum claims and the third involved a Violence Against Women Act self-petition. Bagley was also noted for her dedication to clients, which was demonstrated by her attention to detail, including gathering testimony, developing supporting testimony, drafting affidavits and preparing clients for trial. Sanctuary for Families is the largest nonprofit in New York state dedicated exclusively to serving domestic violence victims and their children.
—Sanctuary for Families, October 2006
Firm receives Martin Frankel Award
Shearman & Sterling received the Marvin Frankel Award from Human Rights First (HRF) at a ceremony in New York. The firm was honored for its work protecting the rights of refugees and asylum seekers. The firm has represented over 50 refugees and their families through HRF’s pro bono asylum legal representation program. Of these cases, about 30 were taken on in the last five years. The cases have been pending at all levels of the asylum adjudication system—from asylum offices to immigration courts to US federal courts.
—Human Rights First, June 2006
Chosen as an “Outstanding Volunteer”
Volunteer lawyers for the Arts (VLA) honored Shearman & Sterling at it 2006 summer benefit and awards ceremony. The firm was chosen as an “Outstanding Volunteer” for 2006. Partner Jeremy Epstein (NY-LT), who sits on VLA’s board of directors, accepted the award on the firm’s behalf. The award is given in recognition of exceptional contributions in support of VLA’s mission of service to the arts community. Shearman & Sterling was noted for consistently providing enthusiastic, experienced and compassionate attorneys to help staff legal clinics and taking on representation of low income arts or arts-related non-profit organizations. VLA, based in New York, offers pro bono and low-cost legal services and information to over 10,000 members of the arts community each year.
—Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, June 2006
Associate in California named outstanding volunteer
Associate Jiyoun Chung (SF-LT) was named an Outstanding Volunteer in Public Service for 2005 by the Volunteer Legal Services Program of the Bar Association of San Francisco (VLSP). VLSp provides free legal aid for traditionally underserved members of the San Francisco Bay Area. The award is given annually to VLSP volunteers who have gone “above and beyond the call of duty.” Chung’s award relates to her work through the VLSP’s Family Law Project.
—Volunteer Legal Services Program of the Bar Association of San Francisco, April 2006
DC Circuit Judicial Conference committee honors Shearman & Sterling
The DC Circuit Judicial Conference Standing Committee on Pro Bono Legal Services honored Shearman & Sterling as one of only 12 firms in DC in which 40% of more lawyers dedicated at least 50 hours to pro bono services in 2005. The committee reviews problems facing pro se litigants in federal courts and the pro bono resources available to them.
—DC Circuit Judicial Conference Standing Committee on Pro Bono Legal Services, April 2006
Lawyers Alliance Honors Shearman & Sterling
Shearman & Sterling received the Cornerstone Award, which was presented by Lawyers Alliance for New York at a ceremony held on November 17. Lawyers Alliance has been a leading provider of business and transaction legal services for nonprofit organizations that improve the quality of life in New York City neighborhoods for more than 35 years. The Cornerstone Award honors outstanding pro bono legal service given to nonprofits, which have helped improve the lives of thousands of New Yorkers. This year’s recipients, which included two law firms, nine individuals and a special honoree, demonstrated accessibility to clients’ changing needs, developed innovative solutions for clients, earned trust and praise from the organizations with which they worked, and actively sought ways to expand their relationships with clients.
—Lawyers Alliance for New York, November 2005
Associate is Honored by Sanctuary for Families
Associate Nicola Espie (NY-AM) was presented with an "Honoree for Excellence in Pro Bono Advocacy" award at the Sanctuary for Families Associate Committee Benefit on November 3. Nicola was honored for her "ongoing, diligent and sensitive representation of clients in complex immigration cases, particularly gender-based asylum claims." The Committee presents awards to associates in the New York area who have provided extensive pro bono legal assistance to victims of domestic violence. Espie has been handling asylum cases at Shearman & Sterling since she began at the firm in 1998. Most recently she has been working on an asylum case for a Sanctuary client from Guinea. Nicola is arguing that her client's daughters would be subjected to female genital mutilation if they were forced to return home. Many of her cases have involved severally abused and traumatized victims from countries such as Mexico, Mali, Pakistan and Egypt.
—Sanctuary for Families, November 2005
Outstanding Achievement Award
On June 28, 2005 Shearman & Sterling was awarded the Washington Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs Outstanding Achievement Award for its work on an equal opportunity case. The Firm represented a former music director of a church who was victimized, sexually harassed and wrongfully terminated by the church and its pastor. In this rapidly evolving area of civil rights law, Shearman & Sterling achieved a precedent-shattering result: following a two-and-a-half-week trial in the Circuit Court, the client was awarded damages totaling $1,350,000 for intentional infliction of emotional distress.
—Washington Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs, 2005
International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda
The National Law Journal recognized Fred Davis for his work with the ICTR in the article "Pro bono find a new edge: Firms more willing to take on controversial pro bono activities. "Since 2001, Shearman & Sterling of New York has dedicated 17,000 hours under the direction of partner Fred Davis to aid the UN-established International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda."
—The National Law Journal, 2005
Public Services Awards
On September 17, 2005 pro bono attorney Saralyn Cohen and associate Deidre O' Byrne received Public Services Awards from the Sirius Foundation. The Foundation was created by the family of Beverly Curry who was killed on September 11 at the World Trade Center. Ms. O' Byrne assisted the group in formation and on ongoing corporate governance issues. Ms. Cohen represented the family before the federal September 11 Victim Compensation Fund.
Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now
Shearman & Sterling was honored on Wednesday, December 15, 2004 by the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now ("ACORN") at its 7th annual birthday dinner. The Shearman & Sterling team was given an award for its work in fighting housing discrimination on Long Island. The team is pursuing four cases in federal court that allege racial discrimination at several Long Island, NY real estate brokerages.
—Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), 2004
Abely Pro Bono Achievement Award
On October 18, 2004 Sanctuary for Families honored Shearman & Sterling Pro Bono Attorney Saralyn Cohen with The Abely Pro Bono Achievement Award. The award was created in 2001 to recognize the contributions of extraordinarily dedicated attorneys who provide pro bono legal services to clients of Sanctuary's legal center.
—Abely Pro Bono Achievement Award, 2004
2004 President's Pro Bono Service Award
In May 2005 Shearman & Sterling pro bono attorney Saralyn Cohen was awarded the New York State Bar Association's 2004 President's Pro Bono Service Award for Manhattan at a ceremony in Albany.
—New York State Bar Association, 2004
Elders of the Village
In February 2004, Legal Outreach named our pro bono attorney Saralyn Cohen and Shearman & Sterling "Elders of the Village," honoring them with the organization's highest distinction. An Elder of the Village is recognized as "One who has gone above and beyond the call of duty to serve Legal Outreach and its students in myriad ways. With dedication, commitment and sincerity, this individual/institution has given selflessly, without expectation of reward or recognition."
—Legal Outreach, 2004
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