PROBONO Bulletin - Winter 2008 - (Page 20)

NATIoNAL NEWS Helping a Local Business to Stay Afloat arvey’s Custom Cleaners’ lease in Washington, DC, was about to expire. Harvey’s had occupied their premises for nearly 20 years. Although the landlord entered into a letter of intent for a new lease that would have allowed the owners to continue to operate from the premises, the landlord soon indicated that it would not honor its terms. Over the course of several months, the landlord demanded increasingly burdensome terms and preconditions for a new lease, including a substantially above-market rental rate and the completion of capital improvements. The landlord threatened eviction if Harvey’s did not agree. It became apparent that the business was at risk if Harvey’s had to pay the rent being demanded. Through the DC Bar CED Law Clinic, Rick Cohn (Washington, DC) took on the representation. He was able to locate alternate premises within a short distance of the original store at a substantially lower rental rate and successfully negotiate a new lease, avoiding loss of the business. “Thanks to the diligent, skillful efforts of Rick Cohn, we were able to save the business of this hard-working Korean immigrant family,” said John Zentay (Washington, DC), a long-time customer of Harvey’s. Working on Behalf of a Refugee from Zimbabwe LA Piper lawyers recently succeeded in preventing the removal by US Citizenship and Immigration Services of Mrs. X., a 29-year-old woman who fled persecution in Zimbabwe, thereby enabling her to live and work in the US indefinitely. Mrs. X.’s mother had been imprisoned in Zimbabwe for 18 months on false charges because of her potential testimony as a state witness in the murder trial of a high Zimbabwean official. Although she was acquitted and released, Mrs. X.’s mother fled to the US after learning that the Zimbabwean government was likely to kill her over suspicions she had learned state secrets. Shortly thereafter, Mrs. X. was detained for questioning about her mother’s whereabouts, during which time she was tortured and sexually abused. Mrs. X. fled Zimbabwe soon after she was released and followed her mother to the US. Since arriving, she has become an active participant in the New York branch of Zimbabwe’s opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change, and has advocated for women’s rights in Zimbabwe. Paolo Morante, Gail Rodgers, Hannah West and David Wenger (all New York) represented Mrs. X. H D Partnering with a Client to make a Difference in Local Communities ometimes community involvement is more than a pro bono activity—it is also an opportunity to strengthen a client relationship. Working side-by-side to perform a service of value, DLA Piper’s partnership with Pfizer, Inc. is a notable example of this sort of partnership. Since 2006, DLA Piper and Pfizer have co-sponsored a seminar series addressing the legal issues confronting nonprofit organizations around the country. DLA Piper has assisted Pfizer in coordinating and hosting the series, Strategic Legal Thinking for Not-for-Profit Executives. The invites you to its Strategic Legal Thinking Seminars for Not-for-Profit Executives The Revised Form 990 Preparing for a New World The Revised Form December 5, 2008 a New World S seminars are held in Pfizer’s New York office and webcast to DLA Piper’s offices around the country. DLA Piper’s co-sponsorship responsibilities have grown steadily since the project commenced. Our lawyers now work directly with members of Pfizer’s Legal Division and other legal service providers, including the Lawyers Alliance for New York and the DC Bar Pro Bono Program, to determine program content for the series and serve as program moderators or panelists at individual seminars. DLA Piper staff members coordinate logistics leading up to each seminar and provide IT support and hospitality services at host offices on the day of the program. “Our joint pro bono service with Pfizer helps further our relationship with them as a client, while enabling us both to make contributions to the community,” says Loren Brown, one of DLA Piper’s client relationship partners for Pfizer. “We are pleased that our mutual interest in service can benefit so many nonprofits across the country.” Also sponsored by: Location: Pfizer Conference Center 150 East 42nd Street, New York, NY 10017 with videoconference sites at: Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Tampa, and Washington, DC. Pfizer Inc discovers, develops, manufactures and markets leading prescription medicines for humans and animals. Our mission is to discover innovative health care products that lead to healthier, longer and more productive lives. Since Pfizer’s founding over 150 years ago, our company has been built on a culture of caring. Our mission is reflected in the medicines we discover and bring to market, medicines that save lives and enhance the quality of life for millions of people around the world. Our Legal Division carries forward this mission with its pro bono work. The Pfizer Legal Division partners with law firms and legal services providers to bring the Strategic Legal Thinking seminars to communities around the country. 20 | PRO BONO BULLETIN

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

PROBONO Bulletin - Winter 2008 Contents Cover Story: Digging Deep: DLA Piper’s Signature Project Model CSR Report Feature Story: DLA Piper Assists with German Ghetto Work Payment Program Clinics National News Mapping Impact An Interview With Jeff Coopersmith FourThought New Perimeter Update Awards and Recognition

PROBONO Bulletin - Winter 2008

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