PROBONO Bulletin - Summer 2008 - (Page 17)

nATIonAL nEWS Representing the Greater Chicago Food Depository he Greater Chicago Food Depository (GCFD) is a nonprofit food distribution and training center providing food for hungry people while striving to end hunger in the community. The work of GCFD fits with the firm’s goal of ending hunger everywhere; it is one of the many food banks the firm assists throughout the country. In 2002, GCFD learned that one of the food storage facilities with which it had contracted was grossly infested. This infestation led to criminal and civil lawsuits against the warehouse and its owners. DLA Piper was asked to represent GCFD in this highly visible case. Jon King and Eric Berg (both Chicago) counseled GCFD’s executive director, who testified at the criminal trial that resulted in convictions and a criminal restitution judgment. Chris Skey (Chicago) represented GCFD in connection with the collection and distribution of T US$250,000 from the restitution fund, representing its full out-of-pocket losses plus interest. Chris also represented GCFD as an intervener in the federal civil litigation, which included a one-year, multi-party mediation process. Through the mediation, GCFD obtained a substantial additional recovery. “Representing GCFD was extremely satisfying, both personally and professionally, as I believe strongly in GCFD’s mission of feeding the hungry. Its mission was compromised as a result of the actions of the defendants in these cases,” says Chris. “Helping GCFD recover from this loss makes me truly proud.” Chris was assisted in the civil litigation by Brian Audette, Amanda Jones, Valerie Kropf, Patricia Merryweather, Julie Pabarja and Marilyn Pearson (all Chicago). Teaming with a Corporate Client — DLA Piper and Accenture Work to Make a Difference A ccenture, a longtime client, and DLA Piper have worked on multiple pro bono projects together. First, along with Northwestern University School of Law, they have partnered on New Perimeter’s Addis Ababa Law School Project. As part of this joint initiative, Accenture will be sending a team of its lawyers to teach a course on company law and negotiations to business LLM students at the law school. In addition, Accenture lawyers will assist with a conference on law and economic development that the New Perimeter team is helping the law school develop and host in Addis Ababa in November 2008. Accenture has also teamed with the firm to adopt Barry Elementary School in Chicago, where volunteers teach classes on basic concepts of law, hold an annual Family Reading Night (sending each child home with a new book), act annually as Principals for the day and help put on a Spring Career Fair emphasizing the importance of school in planning for the future. “What a great day!” Accenture’s Simon Maple enthused after visiting the school for the Principal for a Day program. “My original assignment was to simply sit and read a book to 3rd graders. They loved it, as did I. I’m going back as a special guest in the parents’ and kids’ night of Festival Around the World, helping the classes running tables on England, Wales and Ireland. I’ve also been invited to their Family Reading story evening. I love those kids — they treat me like a celebrity! Thanks for bringing this great program into my life.” Another joint project involves the Global FoodBanking Network (GFN), which DLA Piper founded in 2006. Accenture has agreed to build on its strong presence throughout Africa by working with GFN in South Africa. Accenture Development Partnerships (ADP) is a nonprofit organization that provides high-quality consulting services to other nonprofits working in developing countries. ADP has agreed to provide two fulltime consultants for one year to work with the GFN team in South Africa. The consultants will conduct a study that includes a review of existing programs, identification of the gaps where help is needed and an estimate of the amount and value of the food that would likely be donated or purchased if a food bank system existed in South Africa. SUMMER 2008 | 17

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of PROBONO Bulletin - Summer 2008

PROBONO Bulletin - Summer 2008 Contents A Firm Response to a Natural Disaster Protecting Our Electorate National News An Interview with Sandy Gohn Mapping Impact FourThought Signature Project Update New Perimeter Launches Addis Ababa Law School Project Awards and Recognition What Our Clients Say About Us

PROBONO Bulletin - Summer 2008

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