Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck received the Colorado Lawyers Committee (CLC) Law Firm of the Year award for its remarkable pro bono efforts. This was the first year in the history of the organization that the board of directors selected two firms for the award. Faegre Baker Daniels LLP was also honored.
For the past several years, Brownstein has been dedicated to dramatically growing its pro bono legal services program. To create a stronger cultural commitment to pro bono services, Bruce James, managing partner, named Lauren Schmidt as the firm’s pro bono partner. In this role, Schmidt facilitates and expands on the firm’s strong commitment to pro bono service and public-interest work across all offices. Schmidt also serves as the firm’s representative to the CLC’s board of directors.
“We are honored to receive the CLC Law Firm of the Year award as it demonstrates the collective impact our team of attorneys and paralegals have working on projects that benefit our community,” said James. “Together, 35 attorneys and paralegals in Brownstein’s Denver office worked on CLC matters during the past year, from legal clinics to major cases.”
All shareholders and associates are encouraged to meet the Colorado Bar Association’s goal of 50 pro bono hours per year, and Brownstein allows associates to count up to 100 pro bono hours toward their billable requirements each fiscal year. Since the firm’s formal adoption of its pro bono program in 2008, the number of attorneys participating in the program and the number of pro bono hours per attorney has increased exponentially. Brownstein’s lawyers devoted nearly 9,000 pro bono hours in 2011 and 2012.