Morgan Lewis

Community Service Reaching Out

Worldwide Locations

Pro Bono in 2011

Over 71,000 hours were spent on pro bono representations, at a value to our pro bono clients of tens of millions of dollars.

Nearly two-thirds of the firm's attorneys contributed at least 20 hours to a pro bono matter; representations span all practice groups and offices.

Representations included more than 1,600 active matters, including nearly 400 new matters.

Full "above the line" credit given for pro bono time charges.

Morgan Lewis is a signatory to the Pro Bono Institute's Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge.

In addition to providing pro bono legal services, all Morgan Lewis offices have a long tradition of other types of community service. The following are examples of the types of organizations and programs we are proud to support:

Komen National Race for the Cure
Every year the Washington, D.C. office raises money for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation by participating in the 16th Annual National Race for the Cure. The Foundation provides funds for breast cancer research and community outreach programs. The Morgan Lewis team raised funds through silent auctions, raffles, and a scarf sale. The D.C. office also held a "Pink Shirt Day" to raise awareness for the event and the campaign.

National Constitution Center
Morgan Lewis is the Founding Legal Sponsor of the National Constitution Center, located on Independence Mall in Philadelphia. The National Constitution Center is dedicated to educating our citizens about the Constitution and its significant impact on all of our lives. Morgan Lewis pledged $600,000 in cash and services to this project and has led the "Power of an Hour" campaign through which law firms are requested to contribute the cash equivalent of one billable hour for each of their lawyers. The initiative began successfully with large law firms in Philadelphia and is now being rolled out across the nation.

The Committee of Seventy
On election days, Morgan Lewis volunteers have answered Philadelphia voters' election-day calls to The Committee of Seventy, a not-for-profit, non-partisan political "watchdog" organization, at the Committee's headquarters. Volunteers have also participated in roving teams, providing watchdog support at citywide polling places.

Duke Ellington School of the Arts
As part of the pro bono efforts of Morgan Lewis' Washington, D.C. office, we have served as the primary outside counsel for the Duke Ellington School of the Arts since June 1999. Most recently, we have worked to create a unique tax-exempt partnership, comprised of the school's fundraising arm, the Duke Ellington Fund, the Kennedy Center, and The George Washington University. This alliance has not only enriched the academic and artistic opportunities for students at the school, but the partners have also recently joined with the D.C. Public School System to create a national model for public education in the performing arts.

Holiday Gift-Giving Program for Children
Morgan Lewis employees donate gifts and/or funds to brighten the holiday season for children connected with a worthwhile charity. For the past several years, Morgan Lewis has donated gifts and funds to the "Toy Shop" of the Philadelphia Society for Services to Children, an organization that provides services to children at risk of abuse, neglect, or abandonment, and the Children's Treatment Crisis Center, an organization that benefits children who have been abused or neglected or have witnessed traumatic situations.

Philadelphia Cares Coat Drive
Morgan Lewis employees donate and collect "gently used" winter coats that Philadelphia Cares distributes to more than 100 community organizations and schools throughout Philadelphia. In addition, Morgan Lewis employees assist with the sorting and distribution process.

Working Wardrobe
Morgan Lewis employees donate new or "gently used" business clothing and accessories to low-income women and women on welfare to assist them during the interview process as they enter or re-enter the job market.

Adopt-a-Family
Each year, the Pittsburgh office celebrates the holiday season in grand style by adopting a family for the holiday season. We provide gifts, outerwear and boots, holiday outfits, and a holiday meal for our adopted family.

United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania
The Philadelphia office of Morgan Lewis is a strong supporter of the United Way. Our yearly campaign goal is to surpass the previous year's level of giving. In the past two years, the highlight of the campaign has been a silent auction. Generous employees, partners, and vendors donate items to be auctioned. All proceeds benefit the United Way. Another popular fundraiser has been the in-house sale of cookbooks containing favorite recipes submitted by staff. The annual United Way Campaign gives office personnel an opportunity to work together to benefit the region while retaining the ability to support favorite individual charities. Last year's campaign focused on providing funds for the Community Care – Areas of Need programs. Funds donated targeted local organizations serving three general goals: (1) investing in our children and youth; (2) building adult independence; and (3) promoting healthy living.

Department of Children and Families Backpack Drive
Morgan Lewis Boston employees purchased items for and assembled backpacks full of supplies to outfit children for the 2012/2013 school year. These children receive services through the Department of Children and Families in the Boston area.

Department of Children and Families Holiday Family Sponsorship
Morgan Lewis Boston employees sponsor a family or families through the local branch of the Department of Children and Families. These families are challenged to meet their basic needs and would not be able to provide gifts to their children and themselves without our assistance. Employees purchase gifts and donate cash which go toward gifts and gift cards to satisfy the "wish list" provided by the family.

Rally Against Cancer
Morgan Lewis Boston employees wear Red Sox gear to work in exchange for donations to the Rally Against Cancer fund. We also established a donation page with the Jimmy Fund through which people can make donations directly, either by name or anonymously.

Monthly Jeans Friday
Local and national charities benefit from our monthly jeans day on which Boston personnel can wear jeans to the office for a nominal $5 donation. Each month we designate a different charity to whom the proceeds are donated. Charities have included Susan G. Komen for the Cure, American Heart Association, Ronald McDonald House, American Cancer Society and Camp Comfort Zone.

Food Drive
Each of the California offices sponsor a food drive to benefit a local food bank. The four offices compete against each other for Best in California. Some of our annual fundraising events include: Thanksgiving pie order, turkey raffles, bake sales and silent auction with items donated by our partners.

Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo
Every year, at least once a year, the Palo Alto office volunteers their time for the improvement of the Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo. Activities the volunteers have participated in include: building, fixing, painting, and otherwise improving animal enclosures; building a path outside the museum; removing soil and debris; and laying gravel in the courtyard just to name a few. The Palo Alto office also makes an annual monetary donation to support them. The Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo is a place where children and their caregivers come to explore, discover, create, and play. Through hands-on science exhibits, a diverse community of live animals, and a variety of educational programs they seek to engage a child's curiosity for science and nature.

Walter & Connie Payton Foundation
Morgan Lewis employees donate gifts during the holiday season and school supplies at the beginning of the school year for needy children in the Chicago land area.

Pets Are Worth Saving (PAWS)
Faced with financial hardship, families often give up their pets as they cannot to afford to feed or care for them. To help these people most in need, Morgan Lewis donates pet food and pet supplies, such as cat litter, leashes, collars, toys, pet carriers, and litter boxes to Pets Are Worth Saving (PAWS.) The hope is these donations will prevent people from having to give up their pets.

Greater Chicago Food Depository
Morgan Lewis hosts food drives of non-perishable food for the Greater Chicago Food Depository to help those in need.

Operation Interdependence
The Chicago office annually collects and packs "goody bags" to be sent to servicemen and women on the frontlines. Individual quart-sized baggies include a personal note and a few items such as snacks, games and personal care products. The most important part of this project is the letter from a person who has never met that Soldier, Sailor, Marine or Airman, but takes the time to write his or her expressions of care and concern.

Monthly Charity Jeans Day
The Chicago office sponsors monthly Charity Jeans Days with proceeds sent to a variety of charities suggested by Chicago office personnel.

New York Cares Coat Drive
Morgan Lewis employees donate "gently used" winter coats that New York Cares distributes to more than 100 community organizations and schools.

New York Cares Winter Wishes Program
Morgan Lewis employees purchase holiday gifts for disadvantaged children and teens, many of whom would not otherwise receive gifts during the holidays. Winter Wishes collects and screens more than 35,000 gift requests and sends them to volunteers who purchase, wrap, and send the gifts to community partners.

Everybody Wins! Power Lunch Program
Morgan Lewis New York employees are paired with a child at a local elementary school for weekly reading and mentoring during lunchtime.

Bottomless Closet and Career Gear
Morgan Lewis employees donate new or gently worn business clothing and accessories to help disadvantaged New York City men and women become self-sufficient through comprehensive programs that begin with business attire and interview preparation and continue with professional development, financial management and personal enrichment.

Skip Lunch Fight Hunger
Morgan Lewis employees participate in this city-wide initiative that asks individuals to donate what they would normally spend on lunch to help feed New York City's hungry children and their families.

Back on My Feet—National Sneaker Week
Morgan Lewis employees provide monetary donations to support Back on My Feet, which is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to creating independence and self-sufficiency within the homeless and other underserved populations by first engaging them in running as a means to build confidence, strength, and self-esteem.

Denim Days for Charity
Pittsburgh personnel contribute a dollar or more to wear jeans every Friday during the summer and on select dates throughout the year. Our partners have matched staff contributions two-for-one. Charities have included Veterans Leadership Program of Western PA, Christian World Foundation and The Children's Charity of Pittsburgh, among others.

Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank
Volunteers from the Pittsburgh office sort and repack grocery products at the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank warehouse. These products are then distributed to soup kitchens, food pantries, after school programs, shelters and other area agencies.

Jubilee Soup Kitchen
For the past few years, volunteers from the Pittsburgh office have assembled hundreds of "comfort kits" and bags of candy for distribution at the Jubilee Soup Kitchen. Each comfort kit contains items such as a bar of soap, washcloth, comb, deodorant, razor, tissue, toothpaste and toothbrush. We make a monetary donation to the soup kitchen as well.

Treasures for Children Program
Each December a group of volunteers from the Pittsburgh office donate their time to the Western Pennsylvania Chapter of the Salvation Army which organizes the annual Treasures for Children program. Treasures for Children asks local holiday shoppers to make toy donations to specific children from birth to age 13. Each year the chapter receives thousands of toys. Morgan Lewis volunteers assist with the sorting and packaging of the toys, so they will be delivered to needy families on time for the holidays.

Mitten Tree Project
During the holiday season the Pittsburgh office decorates an artificial tree with mittens, gloves, scarves and hats. These donated items benefit the Blackburn Center, a nonprofit providing supportive services (emergency shelter, counseling and therapy), as well as comprehensive community education and professional in-service training programs, for adult and child victims of all forms of domestic violence and sexual assault. Every year, thousands of people reach out for their services and all are provided free of charge.

Adopt an Angel/AIDS Outreach Program
Each year, Morgan Lewis personnel participate in the Houston Young Lawyers' Adopt an Angel Program. The program is geared towards bringing holiday cheer to underprivileged children in Houston communities. Approximately 200 children were presented with clothing and toys purchased by Morgan Lewis lawyers and staff. For many of these children, these will be the only gifts they receive for the holidays.

Through the HBA AIDS Outreach Program, the Morgan Lewis Houston office "adopted" two families who have been affected by HIV/AIDS. Employees provided holiday gifts, necessary household items and monetary donations to assist the adopted families.

The HBA Warm Clothing/Coat Drive
Morgan Lewis personnel participated in the Houston Bar Association/Houston Bar Foundation's Annual Coat and Warm Clothing drive. Coats, warm clothing, business attire, linens, raingear and suitcases were donated for distribution to Houston's homeless children and adults. In addition, employees brought in gently used women's suits and simple black handbags for HBA's Dress for Success drive.

Houston Bar Association's Book Drive
Morgan Lewis participated in the HBA's annual book drive by donating new or gently used books, with an emphasis on children's books. This project benefited local shelters and literacy projects throughout Houston.

Houston Food Bank/Star of Hope
Houston office personnel donate non-perishable food items to be delivered to local organizations geared towards assisting Houston's homeless. The Houston Food Bank and Star of Hope collect our donated items and distribute the goods to those who need them most.

United Way of Greater Houston
The United Way is a nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting children, families, seniors and others in our community who need a helping hand. Annually, the Houston office hosts a campaign filled with various events to help raise money to be donated to the United Way of Greater Houston.

Monte Bernardo Fund
Houston office personnel provided monetary donations to assist a wounded warrior in need. All contributions went to support the Monte Bernardo Recovery Fund.