Hogan & Hartson’s Pro Bono Open House: Leveraging Our Work for the Greatest Good

University of Miami School of Law Alumni join others on Panel Dedicated to Pro Bono

Marni Lennon, JD '95 and Bennett Brummer, JD '65	Alvin F. Lindsay, JD ’91

On Thursday, November 13th UM Law students joined private attorneys and members of the local non-profit community at Hogan & Hartson LLP for the firm’s “Pro Bono Open House: Leveraging Our Work for the Greatest Good.”  The evening began with a lively panel moderated by UM Alum Alvin Lindsay, Partner and liaison to the Community Services Department (CSD) of Hogan & Hartson. The speakers included Marni Lennon, UM Law JD ‘95, Assistant Dean for Public Interest & Pro Bono and Director of HOPE at UM Law; Karen Ladis, UM Law JD ’90, Executive Director of Put Something Back; Randall Berg, Executive Director of the Florida Justice Institute; the Honorary Rosemary Barkett, U.S. Court of Appeal, Eleventh Circuit; and, Bennett Brummer JD ‘65, Miami Dade County Public Defender and also a UM Law alumna.  They all spoke passionately on the importance of giving back to the community.1L Guensie Grecy attended the open house and said, “Entering the legal field is not about how much money you make, but that the knowledge you obtain in law school can easily be put forth to public service. You don’t necessarily have to compromise your dreams of working for a major firm because you can still make a difference in the community through pro-bono work.” 

This was a great occasion for UM Law students to gather with Hogan & Hartson attorneys as well as other community groups and organizations in South Florida to find a common ground and discover opportunities for collaborating in the future.  “It was amazing to see attorneys, judges, and other non-traditional legal professionals in the same room for the same purpose – to see how we can link resources and further our pro bono efforts, especially in these strained economic times,” commented 2L Evian White. 

“What is so impressive about Hogan & Hartson is how much of their services they devote to pro bono; in Miami alone they represent both the Miami Dade Public Defender’s Office and the Guardian Ad Litem Program.  The evening was a nice reminder that the ‘big firms’ are truly serving the public’s interests,” remarked 3L Sara Neugroschel.  Hogan & Hartson is an international law firm with more than 1,100 attorneys practicing in 27 offices around the globe.  The firm’s broad-based international practice cuts across virtually all legal disciplines and industries.  More than 35 years ago, Hogan & Hartson became the first major firm to establish a separate practice group devoted exclusively to providing pro bono legal services.  Since its inception in 1970, the Community Services Department (CSD) has been charged with attracting and staffing both high impact matters raising issues of public importance, as well as small chases addressing individual problems. 

UM Law Students with Luca R. Bronzi, JD '94 of Hogan & Hartson