Pro Bono
At Greenberg Glusker, we believe that pro bono legal services are not a nice-to-have—they are fundamental to the practice of law. For our firm, providing free legal assistance to those who need it the most is both a moral obligation and an honor.
Since the founding of our firm, we have always made providing legal services for the underserved, the indigent, and others in need, a key part of our work. In support of this core value, we do not cap billable hour credit that associates can receive for engaging in pro bono legal services.
Our pro bono hours have spanned the gamut from the welfare of children to support of the arts to education. The pro bono work we do reflects our unwavering commitment to be a good community citizen.
Pro Bono Stories
Greenberg Glusker’s commitment to pro bono legal services is reflected in the types of matters we have handled:
- Handle a variety of pro bono matters for the Alliance for Children’s Rights, including special education advocacy, finalizing adoptions of foster children, and assisting young adults transitioning out of foster care.
- Authored the first edition of a manual on adoption law used by pro bono attorneys and law students in finalizing adoptions of dependent children throughout Los Angeles.
- Handle pro bono appellate work, including as to claims for violations of Constitutional rights.
- Handled matters for special education advocacy and guardianship petitions.
- Worked in conjunction with Public Counsel on a pro bono matter that resulted in over $320,000 in student debt being discharged for a substitute teacher.
- Played a key role in the development of Women In Film’s Sexual Harassment Help Line and Legal Aid Service, which assists those in the entertainment industry who have encountered mistreatment by referring them to designated mental health counselors, law enforcement professionals and civil and criminal lawyers and litigators.
- Represented a gay man from Russia, who is in the U.S. on a tourist visa, in applying for asylum to escape governmental and personal persecution under Russian laws.
- Advocate on behalf of families and their children for appropriate special education services in light of such children’s learning disabilities and behavior, emotional, and social needs.
- Lead workshops for litigants in small claims court in conjunction with Bet Tzedek and the Los Angeles County Bar Association.
- Successfully obtained significant disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs for a low-income veteran living with disabilities.
- Represented a Public Counsel client who was born without proper documentation in a migrant community in San Diego in obtaining a birth certificate.
- Represented a Jewish nonprofit facing a copyright infringement claim for post relating to its advocacy.
- Represented military veteran in trademark infringement lawsuit whose company was being sued for its claimed military-related use of a mark.
- Perform pro bono work for a nonprofit dedicated to improving air qualify for Californians.
- Represent a Ukranian woman who posted in support of Ukraine and Ukrainian independence in her asylum application.
Awards & Honors
- Community Impact Award in recognition of our ongoing support of the Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA) Counsel for Justice AIDS Project
- ACLU "Lifetime Achievement" and "Criminal Justice" Awards
- Jenesse Center "Circle of Excellence" and "Champion of Justice" Awards
- Recipient of Anti-Defamation League Justice and Jurisprudence Award
- State Bar of California "Distinguished Pro Bono Service" Award
- Casa Cornelia Law Center "Inn of Court Pro Bono Publico" Award
- Caregiver Award (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation)
- Bet Tzedek "Pro Bono Firm of the Year" Award
- State Bar of California “Wiley W. Manuel Pro Bono Award”
- Jenesse Center Champion of Justice Award
Pro Bono News
