Venable LLP is pleased to announce that, for the second consecutive year, it has received the annual “Pacesetter Award” from the Legal Aid Bureau, Inc. and the Equal Justice Council for its support and leadership in providing legal services to Maryland’s indigent.
“Venable exemplifies the best of the legal profession by consistently contributing substantial financial and pro bono resources to assist low-income Marylanders,” said Wilhelm H. Joseph Jr., Legal Aid’s executive director. “If more law firms stepped up to the plate like Venable, we would be able to help the more than 80 percent of low-income Marylanders who currently are left without civil legal assistance because of insufficient available resources.”
Now celebrating its 95th year, Legal Aid is a private, nonprofit, multi-funded law firm providing free legal services to low-income persons in BaltimoreCity and across Maryland. The Equal Justice Council promotes equal justice by increasing and diversifying the Legal Aid Bureau's resources, serving as its advocates and ambassadors, and educating the public about Legal Aid's programs.
“Venable works with the Legal Aid Bureau because it gives our firm the opportunity to practice law in the truest form by helping individuals and entities with legal services they could never afford,” said Venable partner Charles J. Morton, Jr., who will accept the award on behalf of Venable.
For more than 100 years, Venable has been representing Maryland’s disadvantaged in a wide range of poverty law issues, death penalty and civil rights cases, as well as providing other pro bono legal services.
In 2005, Venable attorneys devoted more than 22,350 hours to pro bono services in the community, or the equivalent of $7.2 million.
Venable will be presented with the Pacesetter Award at the 9th annual Equal Justice Council Awards Breakfast on Wednesday, May 24 at Camden Yards. For information about the breakfast, please call (410) 951-7777, ext. 6110.