The Colorado Lawyers Committee will host their annual Awards Luncheon Wednesday, Sept. 27 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Ritz-Carlton in Denver.
This year’s keynote speaker is Colorado Supreme Court Justice Melissa Hart who is the court’s liaison to the Access to Justice Commission and the coordinator of the court’s Pro Bono Pledge.
The 2023 Awards Luncheon will honor numerous volunteers who’ve contributed to pro bono projects with CLC in the last year.
David Stark of Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP will receive the Legal Legacy Award which honors an attorney whose dedicated service and leadership fostered a culture within a firm or the larger legal community and elevates the significance of pro bono legal work.
“For Dave Stark, pro bono work is not an aspirational goal, it is part of his identity as a lawyer, and he has inspired countless others to follow in his footsteps,” wrote the CLC. “We honor Dave’s career-long commitment to giving back and righting systemic wrongs, particularly on behalf of children’s rights and education, veterans, and access to justice.”
Four law firms have been nominated for CLC Law Firm of the Year: Ballard Spahr LLP, Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP, Ogletree Deakins and Holland & Hart LLP.
Ballard Spahr had 19 attorneys participate in nine CLC projects and donated more than 530 hours of time in 2022.
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr had 26 attorneys and staff participate in 14 CLC projects and donated over 340 hours of time.
Ogletree Deakins had 25 attorneys and staff participate in eight CLC projects and donated more than 400 hours of time.
Holland & Hart had 33 attorneys and staff participate in 18 CLC projects and donated more than 320 hours of time.
Four pro bono teams have been nominated for CLC Team of the Year: the Denver Legal Night, Nonprofit Legal Audit Clinic, School Expulsion Pilot Project and Hate Crimes Education Program.
Denver Legal Night has been co-sponsored by CLC and the Denver Bar Association Young Lawyers Division since 2006, hosting two monthly clinics to provide advice and referrals to individuals and families who can’t afford legal services. In 2022, 403 volunteers assisted 969 clients. Since Denver Legal Night began, almost 32,000 individuals have been helped.
The Nonprofit Legal Audit Clinic has been held by CLC with partner Colorado Nonprofit Association since 2006, focusing on small nonprofits with limited operating budgets. Since then, nearly 800 CLC volunteers have assisted 300 small nonprofits through the clinic. The team returned to an in-person format at the July 2022 clinic at Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP. In July 2022, 71 volunteers helped a record 35 nonprofits from across Colorado.
The School Expulsion Pilot Project provides direct pro bono representation to students facing expulsion from school districts across the state as the CLC School Discipline Subcommittee partnered with the Rocky Mountain Children’s Law Center and the Colorado Juvenile Defender Center to launch it in 2023. The program provides direct pro bono representation to students facing expulsion from school districts across the state.
Six law firms have taken on these cases: The Harris Law Firm, Ireland Stapleton Pryor & Pascoe, PC, Holland & Hart LLP, Holland & Knight LLP, Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP, and Moye White LLP. Volunteers compile data after each case, which CLC uses to evaluate needed reforms.
For more than 30 years, the CLC Hate Crimes Education Program has presented an educational program on Colorado’s hate/bias-motivated crimes statutes to schools and community groups around the state. Volunteers returned to in-person presentations at the end of 2021, and the task force is currently looking to expand to more areas across Colorado.
Special recognition awards will be presented to Polsinelli PC and CLC’s Asylum Project.
Polsinelli is being recognized for its support from its staff, whose collective efforts allowed CLC to fulfill its mission. In 2018, it was announced Polsinelli would house the CLC.
“From the mailroom staff to receptionists to IT professionals, the entire Polsinelli team has treated us as part of their law firm family, and we cannot thank the firm enough,” the CLC wrote.
CLC’s Afghan Asylum Project is being recognized for its efforts on behalf of Colorado’s Afghan refugees. In 2022, CLC was approached by Catholic Charities Denver, to explore how it could help Afghans complete their asylum applications. CLC built a team of volunteers. The steering committee put together a nine-month plan beginning with a five-hour training. Twelve clinics were held over eight months and about 100 volunteers were at each clinic. Additional volunteers scanned documents, made copies and printed applications so every family left with completed applications. At the end of the nine months, 355 volunteers and 41 interpreters spent almost 5,500 hours volunteering. The committee’s original goal was 200-300 applications, but the volunteers completed 604 applications.
To see information on previous Awards Luncheons, click here.