Dorsey Receives Prestigious National Pro Bono Award

The National Legal Aid and Defender Association presented one of it's "Beacon of Justice" Awards to Dorsey for our significant work in representing death row inmates. NLADA is a leading national advocate for attorneys and other equal justice professionals - those who make a difference in the lives of low-income clients and their families and communities. Representing legal aid and defender programs, as well as individual advocates, NLADA is proud to be the oldest and largest national, nonprofit membership association devoting 100 percent of its resources to serving the broad equal justice community.

NLADA stated that the "Beacon of Justice" Award is honoring law firms that have provided significant pro bono representation to people on death row. NLADA set the bar high for this award so that they would recognize only those firms whose commitment to pro bono death penalty representation goes above and beyond the already remarkable work of so many law firms in our country.

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At the annual business meeting of the Alaska Bar Association in May 2008, Trial attorney John Treptow received The Alaska Legal Service Corporation's 25th Anniversary "Making the Difference" Award for his contributions to the Alaska Pro Bono Program. John is on the program's board of directors, and established the Lawyer for a Day Program, which has now been running successfully for five years. 

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In Minneapolis, Dorsey was honored recently for pro bono services to The Minnesota Life College. Trademark attorney Jeff Cadwell received the award at the school's annual fund raising gala. Jeff has done significant trademark work for the school, which provides vocational and life-skills training for young adults with learning disabilities.

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Dorsey Trial partner Greg Weyandt, in April 2008 received the Minnesota State Bar Association's annual David Graven Public Service Award.  Awarded to the lawyer who best exemplifies the high standards of the profession in combination with a commitment to public or community service, the Graven award was established in 1994 to recognize and encourage public service among lawyers. Greg's extensive pro-bono legal work includes efforts on behalf of the Chrysalis Safety Project, an organization that provides legal representation to low-income battered women seeking Orders for Protection or who have a compelling need for legal assistance. He is a member the board of directors for Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services, which provides free civil legal help to low income people.

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Dorsey Minneapolis attorney Tim Branson received the 2007 Distinguished Service Award from the Minnesota Justice Foundation for his work on a racial-profiling case. Tim led a team of Dorsey lawyers and volunteer lawyers for the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota through a six-year legal battle on behalf of our client. In 2001, our client was searched by federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) representatives at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Our client believed she was singled out because she is black. Statistical evidence produced by the DEA supported this belief. The search turned up a Bible and Bible study materials, but no drugs. The case was settled in August 2007, with the DEA paying our client $20,000 in the first known case of the DEA making a payment to settle a racial-profiling case. In 2008, Tim also received the Minnesota State Bar Association's Attorney of the Year Award for his work on this matter.

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Dorsey was given an award by the Rocky Mountain Children's Law Center at a well attended function at the Denver Botanic Gardens. Dorsey was one of 3 firms honored. Dorsey was given the "Best Partner" award for the work being done by a number of Dorsey Denver attorneys donating their time to a recently developed clinic program with the RMCLC in which Dorsey is the primary "partner". At the clinic, Dorsey lawyers are meeting one-on-one with the 14 to 24 year olds to discuss legal issues and provide counsel to help them overcome real life challenges and become self-reliant adults. Jennifer Good who spearheaded this program and worked with her colleagues to encourage participation by all lawyers in the Denver office.

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Dorsey’s Liberia Project teams were recently recognized for their work with the Liberian Truth and Reconciliation Commission and on a groundbreaking report on country conditions in Liberia and reasons the United States should not end temporary protective status for Liberians. The report appeared in the Pro Bono Institute’s Pro Bono Wire. Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights’ December newsletter referenced the report and included photos of Dorsey lawyers Gabrielle Mead and Emily Willits, who helped author the report.

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Dorsey Minneapolis attorney Eric Sherman received the Chrysalis Safety Project Attorney of the year award. The Safety Project provides free representation to women who are seeking an Order for Protection or other relief. Eric has taken on a number of cases and tried them over the past year. Each involves challenging legal issues such as how to introduce recorded voice mail messages into evidence and prove they were from the abuser, the most important aspect of this work.

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Monica Clark was honored at the Bankruptcy Section Reception for Pro Bono Volunteers held at the Federal Courthouse in Minneapolis. For five years, Monica and other Dorsey attorneys represented a woman suffering from extreme depression and suicidal tendencies in her Chapter 7 bankruptcy claim. The bankruptcy court discharged her student loan debt of approximately $142,000, which she had acquired to attend law school. Due to her mental illness, she was never able to practice law. The creditors appealed the bankruptcy court's decision regarding the student loans because she had some excess income which they argued should be used to pay back the loans, but the decision was upheld in Federal District Court in Minnesota. The creditors then appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. The Eighth Circuit affirmed the bankruptcy and district court decisions. After numerous hearings, one of the lenders appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. On October 2, 2006, the U.S. Supreme Court denied certiorari, bringing the matter to a close.

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The Metropolitan Economic Development Association (MEDA) proudly announced Minneapolis Banking Partner Steven Heim as its Volunteer of the Year at its Annual Recognition Luncheon and Awards ceremony. Providing 36 years of successful business development services to entrepreneurs of color, MEDA's Annual Recognition Luncheon is attended by emerging and established entrepreneurs of color from throughout Minnesota, along with Twin Cities' premier business leaders and corporate sponsors. "I am excited not only for this opportunity to showcase their successes," continued Cheung Ho, "but to also reengage the community at large with the important work we are doing to ensure entrepreneurs of color receive access to resources, financial support and business connections to achieve sustainable success."

Formed in 1971, MEDA is a unique, private nonprofit organization with experienced business development professionals, dedicated to helping entrepreneurs of color that are committed to generating long-term growth, profitability and quality jobs.

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New York Senior Attorney Laura Lestrade and Dorsey were honored by The Partnership for the Homeless at their annual gala for our generous pro bono work on behalf of the organization. The Partnership for the Homeless is a nonprofit organization assisting the homeless in the New York area.

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National Legal Aid and Defender Association (NLADA) recently honored Dorsey during it's annual Exemplar Awards Dinner. Dorsey is one of several large firms representing detainees currently held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. We began our representation with six Bahraini clients. The team has secured the release of all of our clients and are looking forward to success for our remaining client.