Arnold & Porter Receives Lifetime Contribution Award from Washington Council of Lawyers

WASHINGTON, DC, November 3, 2011 - Arnold & Porter LLP was awarded a 2011 Lifetime Contribution Award from the Washington Council of Lawyers at its 40th Anniversary Awards Reception yesterday. This award is in recognition of the decades of support for the Council provided by the firm and numerous Arnold & Porter attorneys.

Founded in 1971, the Washington Council of Lawyers is the only voluntary bar association dedicated to promoting pro bono and public interest law in the Washington, DC area. The Council does so through advocacy, mentoring and professional development programs, legal seminars, and a public interest jobs clearinghouse, among other activities. Council members come from every sector of the legal community. At its annual awards reception, the Council presents awards to private sector and government attorneys whose work exemplifies the values of pro bono and public service.

The evening event, held at Arnold & Porter's Washington, DC office, featured a panel discussion on the history and future of the Council, moderated by Nicole Austin-Hillery of the Brennan Center for Justice. The panelists included Roderic V.O. Boggs, the Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights & Urban Affairs; Katia Garrett, the District of Columbia Bar Foundation; Joy Moses, the Center for American Progress; Paul Smith, Jenner & Block LLP; and Patricia Wald, former Chief Judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and former Arnold & Porter lawyer.

"We are honored to be recognized by one of the region's most respected public interest law organizations," said Philip Horton, head of Arnold & Porter's Pro Bono Committee. "The Washington Council of Lawyers gives critical support to lawyers who provide pro bono services in the community and helps to advance issues of social justice in the legal system. We are proud to be a part of this important effort and congratulate the other 2011 award recipients."

Arnold & Porter attorneys have been actively involved with the Washington Council of Lawyers for over 30 years and have served in leadership positions including president, treasurer, and secretary, as well as chairing numerous committees. Most recently, Arnold & Porter hosted and spearheaded the Washington Council of Lawyers' litigation skills training program, which is part of a multi-pronged initiative by the Council to expand programs to support the city's legal service providers and to assist attorneys from small and medium-sized law firms in their pro bono efforts. The program is led by Mary Kennedy, Trial Training Counsel at Arnold & Porter (and former Training Director of the District's Public Defender Service), and a current member of the Council's Board. Ms. Kennedy received an "Above and Beyond Award" from the Council in 2009 for these efforts.

"We recognize Arnold & Porter as a strong supporter and true friend of the Council," said Nancy Lopez, Executive Director of the Washington Council of Lawyers. "The firm provides a physical home for the Council, hosts numerous Council events, and lends the time and talent of attorneys and staff to helping the Council fulfill its strategic mission. Arnold & Porter recognizes the synergies that an organization like the Council creates by bringing together the private law firm, government, and public interest legal communities, and serves as a role model for attorneys around the city who are committed to pro bono publico service. We are delighted to present them this award, one of the highest recognitions we have presented to any one law firm."

Arnold & Porter has a comprehensive and highly regarded pro bono program. While many law firms have upgraded their pro bono programs in recent years, Arnold & Porter has shown a sustained level of commitment that few can match. The firm focuses on a variety of "impact" cases, as well as representing disadvantaged individuals, such as families facing eviction, victims of domestic violence, and people who have been wrongfully denied government benefits. The firm's pro bono program covers the full range of legal practices, including transactional work and counseling for non-profits and non-governmental organizations, as well as litigation.

Arnold & Porter LLP is an international law firm of more than 700 lawyers with offices in Brussels, Denver, London, Los Angeles, New York, Northern Virginia, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, and Washington, DC. The firm, founded in 1946, maintains more than 25 practice areas spanning a broad spectrum of the law, with a primary focus on litigation, transactional matters, and regulatory issues.