Barclay Damon has been named an Empire State Counsel® law firm honoree by the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) for the firm’s pro bono work in 2024. The designation is based on the total number of pro bono hours completed by attorneys who gave more than 50 hours of service.
In 2024, Barclay Damon dedicated more than 2,800 hours valued at over $1.2 million to pro bono efforts, with attorneys and paralegals actively participating in firm-sponsored family court clinics, litigating civil rights violations, drafting wills for veterans, assisting with clemency applications, taking part in transgender name-change clinics, and providing online legal aid through initiatives such as the American Bar Association’s Free Legal Answers program.
“At Barclay Damon, we believe that access to outstanding legal representation should not be a privilege but rather is a right,” said Jen Leonardi, pro bono partner. “This belief is foundational to all we do and in particular is reflected through our pro bono service, which has seen 100-percent participation by our full-time attorneys for each of the last eight years and 100-percent participation by our full-time paralegals in recent years, including 2023 and 2024.”
Each year, NYSBA acknowledges exemplary pro bono work, including through its Empire State Counsel® awards, at the organization’s Justice for All Luncheon. The award ceremony is held during NYSBA’s Annual Meeting.
Barclay Damon attorneys team across offices and practices to provide customized, targeted solutions grounded in industry knowledge and a deep understanding of our clients’ businesses. With approximately 300 attorneys, Barclay Damon is a leading regional law firm that operates from a strategic platform of offices in Albany, Boston, Buffalo, New Haven, New York City, Rochester, Syracuse, Washington DC, and Toronto. Our firm serves clients across the country and, for some practices, provides US legal services around the globe. For more information, visit Homepage | Barclay Damon, and learn more about our award-winning pro bono program at Pro Bono | Barclay Damon.