Norton Rose Receives ABA’s Pro Bono Publico Award

Norton Rose Fulbright has been honored by the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service with the 2014 Pro Bono Publico Award, recognizing law firms and individual lawyers who have made “outstanding contributions to volunteer legal services.”

Norton Rose Fulbright was one of only two law firms to be honored this year during the ABA’s annual meeting in Boston on August 9.

James Silkenat, ABA president, said:

“The recipients of the 2014 Pro Bono Publico Awards demonstrate the highest levels of commitment and service offered by the legal profession. Through their efforts on behalf of others, they represent the tens of thousands of lawyers in this country who deliver on the promise of equal justice for all.”

Norton Rose Fulbright was recognized for totaling more than 100,000 pro bono hours worldwide in 2013, a collaborative effort among the approximately 3,800 lawyers in more than 50 international offices. In the US, Norton Rose Fulbright logged 76,571 pro bono hours in 2013, averaging 111 hours per lawyer.

Linda Addison, US Managing Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright, said:

“Giving back to the communities where we live and work has always been a part of our culture. Each year, we encourage our lawyers to donate considerable time to pro bono projects around the globe. These contributions amount to thousands of hours and millions of dollars in legal fees to help those who are otherwise unable to pay for legal services.”

In addition, the ABA’s Family Law Section gave its annual Pro Bono Award to Houston partner Stewart Gagnon, Chair of Norton Rose Fulbright’s US Pro Bono Committee. This individual award recognizes lawyers who have gone “above and beyond” in providing services to low income and underrepresented populations.

Gagnon has represented hundreds of pro bono clients during his tenure with Norton Rose Fulbright, including testifying for pro bono legislation and holding leadership roles within a number of pro bono organizations.

With nearly 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is one of the world’s largest voluntary professional membership organizations. The ABA’s Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service provides leadership in policy, outreach, implementation and technical assistance to pro bono activities and programs. The ABA’s Family Law Section provides support to members serving in the field of family law, including adoptions, divorce, custody, military law, alternative families and elder law.