NEW YORK, June 10, 2019: Global law firm Morgan Lewis today begins its 10th annual Community Impact Week, as lawyers and professional staff in its 31 offices around the world participate in approximately 175 community service and pro bono events. This year’s theme, “Community Well-Being,” highlights the firm’s commitment to supporting the unmet needs of the most vulnerable in the communities in which we live and work and the nonprofit organizations that support them.
With the recent launch of ML Well, the firm’s unique, holistic approach to promoting well-being through intellectual, physical, emotional, and occupational health coupled with an underlying emphasis on engagement and community, the 2019 theme also emphasizes how the firm’s philanthropic efforts intersect with its commitment to the well-being of the Morgan Lewis community.
“Engaging with our communities in this way provides us with the opportunity to be a part of something larger than ourselves—in ways both small and large—and adds to our ability to thrive as individuals and as a firm,” said Morgan Lewis Chair Jami McKeon.
The wide-ranging variety of events throughout Community Impact Week includes legal clinics, legal trainings, panel discussions, volunteer events, charity drives, and more across the firm’s offices in North America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
Community Impact Week 2019 features presentations by three speakers who will emphasize the connection between our well-being and that of our communities. Morgan Lewis Chief Engagement Officer Amanda Smith will discuss the science that shows how people who give of themselves in small and large ways tend to be healthier and happier. Kim Daulton of the Children’s Law Center will address the importance of self-care to avoid vicarious and secondary trauma for those who work with survivors of trauma. Experts from Sanctuary for Families will share best practices for providing legal advice to individuals who have experienced torture or trauma.
Morgan Lewis has long encouraged its lawyers to undertake pro bono work, and gives full credit for that work. The firm is a signatory to the Pro Bono Institute’s Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge, meeting a goal of spending at least 3% of its billable hours each year on pro bono matters. In fiscal year 2018, 99.9% of our lawyers met that goal while 100% of our lawyers billed some pro bono time. In total, our lawyers contributed more than 117,000 hours to pro bono representations in fiscal year 2018, an average of more than 67 hours per lawyer.
“We are deeply committed to supporting the well-being of our global communities and the organizations that serve them,” said Rachel Strong, Morgan Lewis senior pro bono counsel. “As in years past, our Community Impact Week emphasizes the importance of service to others, but this year, we especially appreciate the connection between helping others and ourselves.”