WASHINGTON, DC (6/08/05)—Venable LLP hosted its third annual Pro Bono Recognition Reception on Monday to recognize the Venable legal personnel who have devoted their time and energy to pro bono service in the community, with special recognition given to those who donated 50 or more hours over the past year.
In addition, the Benjamin R. Civiletti Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year awards were presented to those persons who demonstrated a lasting commitment to pro bono. This award was established in recognition of the spirit of public service that has been a hallmark of Mr. Civiletti’s career.
"This year's recipients of the Civiletti Award distinguished themselves and our firm through their diligent and creative representation of disadvantaged clients,” said partner Gerard Treanor, who chairs Venable’s Pro Bono committee. “Their commitment to pro bono services in the community is absolutely invaluable."
This year’s recipients included:
·Jana Gibson, Paralegal, Litigation Division, Rockville, MD. Ms. Gibson provided sustained and successful support of firm attorneys working on pro bono cases for clients ranging from the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland to political asylum seekers.
·Modupe Ladeji, Associate, Litigation Division, Washington, D.C. Ms. Ladeji volunteered more than 300 hours of pro bono service in the last year for several clients involving the Transafrica Forum, the defense of Title IX before the U.S. Supreme Court, and the establishment of the Frederick Douglass Memorial Gardens.
·Vasilios Peros, Associate, Business Division, Baltimore, MD. Mr. Peros represented pro bono clients in several matters involving corporate, tax, and intellectual property law. He also organized Venable's first two Baltimore Pro Bono Fairs.
·Brian Zemil, Partner, Litigation Division, Towson, MD. Mr. Zemil effectively represented a pro bono client in a prisoner abuse case which resulted in the award of compensatory and punitive damages.
Venable has been performing pro bono services in the community for more than a century. Those services include, but are not limited to, representing the disadvantaged in a wide range of poverty law issues, death penalty and civil rights cases.
Last year, Venable attorneys devoted more than 18,000 hours to pro bono services in the community, or the equivalent of $5.6 million, including out-of-pocket fees for its pro bono clients.
One of the American Lawyer’s top 100 law firms, Venable LLP has attorneys practicing in all areas of corporate and business law, complex litigation, intellectual property and government affairs. Venable serves corporate, institutional, governmental, nonprofit and individual clients throughout the U.S. and around the world from its headquarters in Washington, D.C. and offices in California, Maryland, New York and Virginia.