About Us: Pro Bono

Examples of Our Work

With a long and distinguished record of community involvement, we continually demonstrate our commitment to initiating, leading and supporting activities that benefit the minority community in every locality where we have offices.

Many of our lawyers and their families support and help strengthen programs that help minority students with college preparation and tuition; help revitalize historically African-American neighborhoods; reach out to adults and children in public housing; coach minority high school moot court teams; serve on the boards of historically black universities and colleges; and participate in Junior Achievement programs and career day events in inner city schools.

We provide many hundreds of hours, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, in free legal time, to handle pro bono legal aid matters and court-appointed cases; and support, with time and money, a variety of cultural, advocacy and recreational programs that benefit minorities. For example, in each of our offices, we administer programs that allow associates to represent clients in appointed cases in the various federal courts. Under the supervision of partners experienced in appellate advocacy, associates engage in all client contact, brief preparation and oral argument. All participants are provided with preparatory mock arguments, and are encouraged to attend the arguments of their co-participants and engage in follow-up critiques.

We also are deeply involved in the communities where we work. Below are some recent examples of our local pro bono work:

Retired Partner Interviewed on Importance of Pro Bono

As part of news coverage for the pro bono summit in Richmond, Va., CBS 6 interviewed retired partner John Oakey during the station's 6 p.m. newscast on April 27, 2010.

McGuireWoods Launches Landmark Pro Bono Project in Atlanta and Chicago to Provide Basic Planning Services to Clergy

The firm is launching a major pro bono project to support clergy in Atlanta and Chicago, called “Thy Will Be Done.” The program is designed to provide a basic last will and testament and powers of attorney for healthcare and for property to clergy of all faiths at no cost or obligation. For more information, visit thywillbedone.mcguirewoods.com.

McGuireWoods Lawyers Provide Pro Bono Support for Iowa Supreme Court Marriage Equality Case

The Iowa Supreme Court declared that a 1998 Iowa statute limiting marriage to a man and a woman was unconstitutional in a decision released April 3, 2009. Lawyers from McGuireWoods’ Chicago office co-authored a friend-of-the court brief, also known as an amicus brief, on behalf of six same-sex couples who want the right to legally marry in Iowa in the case Varnum v. Brien, argued before the Iowa Supreme Court last December. For more information, click here.

Pro Bono Assistance Given to Caregiver in Securing Increased Adoptive Benefits

McGuireWoods associate Tracy Moyer (Antitrust and Trade Regulation, Los Angeles) represented an adoptive caregiver before an administrative law judge for the California Department of Social Services. After a two-hour hearing on Feb. 24, 2009, the judge issued a decision granting the caregiver specialized care funding for her nine-year-old adoptive child to supplement the basic rate, and to help provide for social and mental health services.

Pro Bono Appeal for Mooseheart Child City and School

Partners Ed Brooks and Michael Lieber, along with associate Steven Hamilton (Chicago) filed a pro bono appeal in the Illinois Appellate Court, First District, on behalf of Mooseheart Child City and School, and approximately 400 of its minor residents seeking to reverse the dismissal of their claim for reimbursement of benefits under Illinois' Children Health Insurance Program Act ("KidCare") and Covering ALL KIDS Health Insurance Act ("All Kids"). For more information, click here.

McGuireWoods Helps Raise $100,000 for Legal Aid

McGuireWoods Partner Scott Oostdyk with John Grisham.

McGuireWoods, along with a number of other law firms and business leaders in Richmond, spearheaded the recent Benefit for Legal Aid (November 13, 2008). Best-selling author John Grisham discussed the importance of providing free legal service for low-income Virginians. As a highlight the fundraiser, Grisham auctioned off naming rights to a character in an upcoming novel. Virginia First Lady Anne Holton, a legal aid lawyer in Richmond for ten years before becoming a juvenile court judge, was also on hand for the event. She was recognized for her many years of service to Legal Aid and those less fortunate. For more information, click here.

Charlottesville Attorneys Contribute to Legal Aid Effort

In a complementary effort, 100 percent of McGuireWoods’ Charlottesville attorneys weighed in with their personal contributions to the Legal Aid Justice Center, a group that provides legal representation to low-income individuals throughout Virginia. Partners Jonathan Blank and Craig Wood led the local effort.

The firm matched at the sponsor level ($10,000) for an October 23 program in Charlottesville regarding immigrants in Virginia. The event was sponsored by author John Grisham, our client Dominion, and others.

“This is an example of our lawyers individually complementing what our firm can do in the pro bono area,” says Wood, managing partner for the Charlottesville office. “We have been involved with Legal Aid for years, and in 2009, we are looking to expand organized lawyer support of legal aid in order to widen the impact of McGuireWoods' pro bono activities across the communities we serve. I commend my colleagues, especially Jonathan Blank, the partner who drove this effort, on their ongoing and generous support of our community.”

Chicago Associate Represents Local Nonprofit in Commercial Real Estate Acquisition

Andrew Ryerson (Chicago) recently represented Community Service Options (CSO), a local nonprofit organization dedicated to serving disabled individuals, in its purchase of an office building on Chicago's South side. The acquisition will allow CSO to relocate and improve its operations, stop paying rent, and realize additional income by renting a portion of its new space to other non-profit groups. Andrew also successfully negotiated the termination of CSO's existing lease, which resulted in a significant savings to CSO. Andrew and CSO are currently petitioning Cook County in an effort to obtain tax exempt status for CSO's new property.