March 8, 2018"”Barclay Damon has been named a Free Legal Answers™ Firm Honoree by the New York State Bar Association. This designation is awarded to the law firm with the most attorneys participating in NYSBA's Free Legal Answers program during the past year. The honor was accepted at the bar association's Annual Justice for All Luncheon in New York City by Heather L. Sunser, Barclay Damon's pro bono partner, and Sheila A. Gaddis and Courtney M. Merriman, also both partners.
During the luncheon, 18 Barclay Damon attorneys were named Empire State Counsel, a designation for attorneys who provided 50 or more hours each of pro bono service in 2017. They are Kayla A. Arias, Megan E. Bahas, Gabriel L. Bouvet-Boisclair, J. Eric Charlton, Melle X. Fabian, Ross M. Greenky, Jeremy J. Hourihan, Danielle E. Mettler-Lafeir, Gabriel M. Nugent, Sarah A. O'Brien, Matthew J. Rosno, Paul A. Sanders, Cassandra L. Santoro, Bella S. Satra, Michael A. Smeader, Bridget C. Steele, Charles von Simson, and Arnold N. Zelman.
Sunser said, "We are grateful to be acknowledged by the bar association for our pro bono service, especially as we are celebrating our firm's achievement of 100-percent participation in our pro bono program by all full-time attorneys last year. As the partner heading up this program, I couldn't be any prouder of our Empire State Counsel attorneys and every other Barclay Damon attorney who donates time and talent to our communities."
John P. Langan, the firm's managing partner, noted, "Along with our Diversity & Inclusion and Women's Forum programs, our pro bono program is a major component of our ongoing dedication to community service, inclusiveness, and justice for all. These programs facilitate our joint efforts to further the firm's goals of making our communities and ultimately our workplaces stronger, fairer, and more diverse."
Barclay Damon provided over 3,500 hours of time valued at nearly $1 million in 2017. This assistance helped low-income members of our communities face issues that involved immigration, housing, women's rights, prisoners' rights, and community building and economic development, among others.
Barclay Damon LLP, named a Top 250 Firm by The National Law Journal, is a full-service law firm with offices throughout the major cities of New York State and in Toronto, Boston, Washington DC, and Newark. At 275 lawyers, Barclay Damon is the largest law firm in the Northeastern United States not centered in a major market. Barclay Damon attorneys provide comprehensive legal and business counsel to a diverse client base, teaming across practices to provide targeted solutions informed by deep industry understanding. Learn more about our award-winning pro bono program here.