16 October 2024 • 1 minute read
North American Pro Bono Award Winners
Across the country, our lawyers and business professionals have been recognized for their commitment to pro bono. We are proud of the regional and national recognition we have received for our dedication to serving our communities.
Cara Edwards
Cara Edwards, Litigation Partner and New York Office Managing Partner, is recognized as a North American Pro Bono Award Winner for assisting with name changes for transgender individuals, working on expungement matters, helping veterans, and obtaining asylum for a client and her son who fled their home country.
Watch the videoBrad Rock
North American Pro Bono Award Winner Brad Rock, Corporate Partner in San Francisco, focuses his pro bono work on nonprofit corporate organizations and small businesses from underserved communities with a special focus on women of color entrepreneurs.
Watch the videoUte Krudewagen
Palo Alto-based Partner Ute Krudewagen, Chair of International Employment, focuses her pro bono work on immigration and nonprofit employment matters. She currently represents an Afghan woman judge and 15 of her family members in their humanitarian parole applications. Ute also works with multiple nonprofits in the areas of environmental protection and women’s rights and serves as a mentor to junior lawyers. She volunteers at the local food bank and bakes custom-made birthday cakes for underprivileged children through nonprofit Cake4Kids. We honor Ute as a North American Pro Bono Award Winner.
Watch the videoAlex Cates
North American Pro Bono Award Winner Alex Cates, Employment associate in Seattle, assisted in securing parole for a client sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for a crime he committed when he was a child. After 27 years in prison, he was released. His mother was in hospice care at the time. He was able to visit her and hug her before she passed away.
Watch the videoFahim Barmaki
North American Pro Bono Award Winner Fahim Barmaki, a paralegal in our Palo Alto office, centers his pro bono work on helping refugees and Special Immigrant Visa holders from Afghanistan. Fahim has dedicated his pro bono time to helping Afghan women judges and their families.
Watch the videoMarjorie Schaffner
Marjorie Schaffner, Knowledge Manager, is recognized as a North American Pro Bono Award Winner for her contributions to a project promoting access to justice, including creating and maintaining a database of self-help resources.
Watch the videoElisabeth Cappuyns
North American Pro Bono Award Winner Elisabeth Cappuyns, Director of Knowledge Management, consulted with the United Nations’ World Food Programme, which operates in more than 120 countries, on how to digitalize and integrate information systems. She provided advice on the creation, launch, and operation of WFP’s case and knowledge management systems to optimize their internal and external resources.
Watch the videoDominique Gonzales
Dominique Gonzales, a Real Estate associate in Chicago, focuses her pro bono work on helping migrants and refugees in need of immigration assistance. She was named a 2022 Rising Star by the National Immigrant Justice Center in recognition of her work. Dominique was part of a team that successfully obtained asylum for a mother and daughter after their claims were pending for more than seven years.
Watch the videoNominees
Vanessa Adriance | Amie Aldana | Amadi Anene |
Victoria Barker Busch | Bethany Bunge | Virginia Callahan |
Francisco Cerezo |
Jacob Clubb |
Mariah DiGrino |
Kristin Franceschi |
Dave Freeburg |
Karen Hallock |
Justin Hewett | David Horniak |
Christina Houston |
Rachael Kessler |
Bill Kiniry |
Cody Koblinsky |
Natalie Lewis |
Paul Lewis |
Steve Lozner |
Lea Lurquin |
Jessica Masella |
Oriana Montani |
Benjamin Mulcahy |
Isabella Neal |
Stephanie Peatman |
Joseline Rodriguez |
Joe Roselius |
Bernadette Senyana |
Bing Sun |
Craig Tighe |
Philipp Tsukanov |