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Pro Bono
As committed professionals, we believe that lawyers have an obligation to assist in providing high quality legal services to those who do not have access to them. As a result, the firm is deeply supportive of the efforts of individual lawyers on behalf of the underserved; many of us have never spent a day at the firm without an active pro bono matter. On occasion, some of us have focused on pro bono matters almost exclusively for a period of time—for example, when representing a defendant in a death penalty trial, when forming a nonprofit collaboration to advocate for marriage equality, when structuring debt-for-nature swaps in developing countries, or when briefing and making arguments in appeals of civil rights cases. If you are interested, you will have the opportunity to participate in the broad array of the firm’s pro bono work.
The firm's pro bono program is directed by the firm's Pro Bono Counsel, Kelly Voss and a team of Pro Bono Managers, , , and . They help lawyers find projects that best align with their interests. Individual lawyers, including many associates, often bring worthy projects to the attention of the firm.
The firm’s abiding commitment to pro bono work consistently ranks us among the leaders in the nation and has earned us many awards over the years from individual clients, legal services organizations, and the legal profession. The American Lawyer Magazine’s annual ranking of law firm pro bono work has placed Covington among the top three firms for 17 of the past 21 years. Covington has received the American Bar Association’s Pro Bono Publico Award and the ABA Litigation Section’s John Minor Wisdom Award. In 2008, the Nature Conservancy gave Covington its Lifetime Achievement Award, in large part for work done out of the San Francisco office. Recent awards include:
- Law360 designated Covington as a 2012 Pro Bono Firm of the Year, noting that dedication to the responsibility of pro bono service “permeates culture of Covington.” Law360 previously named Covington as a 2010 Pro Bono Firm of the Year.
- The Foundation for Criminal Justice honored the firm for representation of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers before the U.S. Supreme Court.
- The Legal Community Against Violence recognized Covington as its 2012 Pro Bono Law Firm of the Year.
- Kids in Need of Defense gave Covington its Allegiance Award for pro bono assistance to unaccompanied children who have immigrated to the United States.
Our pro bono work immerses our lawyers in many controversial, interesting, and important public policy issues, and it reflects the fact that we are a firm of diverse viewpoints. We believe that all views, even of the most controversial issues, are entitled to high quality legal representation.
Please click here to view an electronic copy of the firm’s annual Public Service and Pro Bono Report, which summarizes all of its active pro bono projects.
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