New York, October 5, 2005 – LAWFUEL – The Law News Network – Renowned international law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP announced today the adoption of a significant new firm-wide pro bono policy, affirming its commitment to public service
and pro bono representation.
The firm’s new policy sets the goal that every US lawyer perform a
minimum of 50 hours of pro bono work each year, as well as the
requirement that every incoming lawyer, from first year associates to
prominent lateral partners, take on at least one pro bono matter during
his or her first two years at the firm, and the expectation that every
partner will take or supervise at least one pro bono matter every year.
“Preeminence in pro bono is key to achieving Weil Gotshal’s goal to be
not just a great law firm, but a great institution,” said Steven Reiss,
Chairman of Weil Gotshal’s Pro Bono Committee. “That means having a
stellar pro bono program woven into the fabric of our firm so that it is
integral to our institutional identity and the way we define success.”
In an effort to further bolster the firm’s commitment to pro bono and
the hours the firm’s lawyers dedicate to it – which jumped 60% from 2003
to 2004, earning the firm a position on American Lawyer’s “A-list” of
marquee law firms – the firm’s Pro Bono Committee was determined to push
the envelope, setting a guide for the firm’s attorneys worldwide and
dedicating significant financial and human resources to the firm’s pro
bono initiatives and its leadership of them.
The firm hired Miriam Buhl, an attorney with an accomplished background
working for prominent philanthropic and nonprofit institutions, as its
Pro Bono Counsel. Ms. Buhl, former State Director for the Greater New
York Chapter of The March of Dimes and Executive Director of The New
York Women’s Foundation, is responsible for the development of
relationships with nonprofit institutions that are vitally important to
obtaining and successfully accomplishing pro bono work. Her focus on
institutional pro bono relationships is an industry first among law
firms.
“Miriam’s role as Weil Gotshal’s Pro Bono Counsel underscores the
innovative way we’ve chosen to meet our commitment to pro bono.
Developing our new policy and hiring her were important steps in a
larger endeavor to make the firm’s pro bono work a model for the
profession,” said Reiss. “Our long-term goal of our new pro bono policy
is to set a standard that other firms can emulate.”
About Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP
Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP is an international law firm of nearly 1,200
attorneys, including approximately 300 partners. Weil Gotshal is
headquartered in New York, with offices in Austin, Boston, Brussels,
Budapest, Dallas, Frankfurt, Houston, London, Miami, Munich, Paris,
Prague, Providence, Shanghai, Silicon Valley, Singapore, Warsaw,
Wilmington and Washington DC.
