Community & Pro Bono
At Dorsey, we believe that embracing diversity means supporting and participating in the diverse organizations within our communities. This commitment to the areas in which we live and work is underscored by one of Dorsey’s five core values – community. We support community organizations and initiatives through The Dorsey & Whitney Foundation, the Dorsey Community Involvement Program, and the individual efforts of our staff and attorneys.
Pipeline Initiatives
Dorsey's Minneapolis office has been a corporate sponsor of the Cristo Rey school in Minneapolis since it opened in the fall of 2007. The Cristo Rey Network of 24 high schools around the country is designed to provide a quality education to urban youth who live in communities with limited educational options. All students at Cristo Rey Network schools participate in a work study program through which they finance the majority of the cost of their education, gain real world experience, grow in self-confidence, and realize the relevance of their education. Dorsey employs four Cristo Rey students (who share one full-time position) through the work study program each year. The students gain broad exposure to the inner workings of a large law firm and are mentored by Dorsey attorneys.
The Dorsey & Whitney Foundation
The Dorsey & Whitney Foundation makes annual contributions to a wide variety of charitable, civic, cultural, educational, and community service organizations in the communities we serve.
Dorsey’s Community Involvement Program Dorsey’s Community Involvement Program provides volunteer opportunities for staff and attorneys to participate in various community events that are organized by the Dorsey Volunteer Council. Recent events in which the Firm has participated include Habitat for Humanity, reading programs and fund-raising for an inner-city school in Minneapolis, food shelter volunteering in Seattle, a baseball outing for a developmentally disabled group home in Fargo, and a New York theatre workshop.
Local Organizations Dedicated to Diversity in the Legal Profession
Dorsey sponsors and participates in a number of organizations that are dedicated to increasing diversity within our local communities and the legal profession. These include:
The Firm sponsors attorney involvement in specialty bar organizations, and Dorsey attorneys participate in these groups. More information.
In addition, Dorsey supports the efforts of the local organizations that have minority clerkship programs. More information.
Diversity Commitments Dorsey has demonstrated its commitment to fostering diversity within the Firm and the legal profession by signing a number of statements of commitment. These include:
Individual Community Activities
As individuals, Dorsey attorneys and staff are actively involved in myriad community and non-profit organizations. In addition, a number of Dorsey attorneys and staff serve on the boards of non-profit organizations. Dorsey supports these individual initiatives through the contributions made by The Dorsey & Whitney Foundation and through the training sessions that the Firm regularly presents on serving as a non-profit board member. More information.
Pro Bono
Dorsey is committed to serving the unmet legal needs of disadvantaged individuals and organizations. We assist those who cannot afford to pay for legal services by providing a wide range of specialized and high quality legal services. The Firm’s Pro Bono Program enables our lawyers to meet the legal needs of the disadvantaged in our communities.
Dorsey’s commitment to pro bono takes many forms. The Firm recognizes the pro bono efforts of our attorneys by giving billable hour credit. Up to 50 hours of pro bono work will be counted for purposes of partner compensation. The first 50 hours of pro bono work done by associates count towards the hours requirement, and up to 100 additional hours of pro bono time will be counted in the calculation of the productivity bonus for those associates who exceed their hours requirement.
The Firm has been an active participant in a wide variety of pro bono projects, and the Firm and several of our attorneys have received recognition for their efforts.
More information.
Pro Bono
Bricker Lavik
(Attorney / Trial / Minneapolis)
"Our pro bono clients are of diverse backgrounds and have a variety of legal needs. Many of our projects are targeted specifically at the legal problems of minority communities."