Banner Witcoff is proud to take be a part of National Pro Bono Week October 23-29, 2022. The firm is continuously honored and humbled to donate our time and resources to pro bono work and looks forward to continuing to serve our local communities with our pro bono efforts.
The firm and lawyers recognize the responsibility to serve our local communities in meaningful ways by providing pro bono legal services to persons of limited means, to public interest or charitable organizations, or to other groups or activities whose purpose is improving the law or the legal profession. We also volunteer to support local charitable organizations that provide services to our communities.
In one of the firm’s most celebrated matters that resolved in 2022, after a three-year-long legal battle, Banner Witcoff successfully won asylum for a pro bono client. Our client escaped to the United States from Ethiopia, where they experienced violence based on their gender and political views. Additionally, there was a fear of returning based on the ongoing civil war in Ethiopia and reports of ethnic cleansing. Over the last several years, the firm assisted in preparing the initial asylum application, preparing a pre-hearing brief, and both preparing and representing the client for their hearing in immigration court.
Banner Witcoff fosters the growth of its young attorneys through varied pro bono projects and opportunities. For example, one of our associates took the lead role in two prisoner’s rights cases, which gave him the opportunity to take his first depositions, develop his writing and client communication skills, and broaden his experience litigating in district court.
“Banner Witcoff’s support of pro bono provides me the opportunity to engage with and give back to the community that I live and work in. I believe that providing legal services to those of limited means in one’s community is an important aspect of being a lawyer,” said Zach Getzelman, Co-chair, Pro Bono Committee.
For Banner Witcoff lawyers, working on asylum and prisoner’s rights cases with colleagues allows them to use their law school education outside the field of intellectual property as well as contribute to the lawyers’ professional and personal growth.
“Taking part in Banner Witcoff’s extensive pro bono programs is the perfect opportunity to give back to the community by offering free legal services to those in need. It is also mutually beneficial because working on pro bono cases allows our attorneys to collaboratively learn new areas of law and expand our legal skills,” added Shambhavi Patel, Co-Chair, Pro Bono Committee.
Posted: October 24, 2022
