(CHICAGO) Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP honored twelve of its attorneys for their exceptional dedication to pro bono services through the firm's 15th Annual Pro Bono Service Awards. Recipients of the award include:

  • Doron S. Goldstein, partner in Intellectual Property (New York);
  • Brandon D. Hadley, associate in Structured Finance and Securitization (Washington, DC);
  • Cara Q. Hanson, associate in Real Estate (Chicago);
  • Meegan Maczek, associate in Litigation and Dispute Resolution (Los Angeles – Century City);
  • Floyd A. Mandell, partner and co-head of Intellectual Property (Chicago);
  • David B. Morgen, associate in Litigation and Dispute Resolution (Charlotte);
  • Danielle Raymond, associate in Litigation and Dispute Resolution (Los Angeles – Century City);
  • Gary L. Redwine, staff attorney in Real Estate (Charlotte);
  • Robert T. Smith, associate in Litigation and Dispute Resolution (Washington, DC);
  • Brian J. Tanada, associate in Litigation and Dispute Resolution (Los Angeles – Century City);
  • Gail Migdal Title, partner and deputy general counsel (Los Angeles – Century City); and
  • Andrew C. Wu, counsel in Real Estate (New York).

Additionally, Christina M. Murphy, an associate in Real Estate (New York), received an honorable mention.

"We like to acknowledge the efforts of our attorneys who go the extra mile to help those who need legal services but cannot afford them," said Vincent A. F. Sergi, Katten Chairman. "These attorneys have had a profound impact on the lives of many individuals and families. Their hard work and generosity have made a difference, and they deserve recognition."  

The individuals honored this year have provided a broad range of services spanning many different practice areas, including:

  • Ensuring that young people in need receive fair hearings in truancy proceedings and follow-up services to help them succeed in school;
  • Representing a nonprofit lender in financing affordable housing and community economic development in impoverished urban neighborhoods;
  • Protecting the trademark of a charitable organization assisting impoverished and abused young women throughout the world against its commercial use by a multinational corporation;
  • Partnering with a heavily overburdened public defender's office to provide effective representation for indigent criminal defendants;
  • Obtaining for military veterans the benefits they earned for their service to our country;
  • Securing the collaboration of two nonprofit organizations to bring hands-on learning about creating a healthy and sustainable food system to urban high school students;
  • Winning asylum in the United States for young victims of persecution in Antigua and Barbuda and Honduras;
  • Helping victims of Hurricane Sandy obtain the resources needed to restore their property and livelihoods;
  • Securing permanent adoptive homes for children who have spent years in the foster care system;
  • Helping a century-old settlement house qualify for and receive grant funding to maintain its mission of providing an array of social, educational, legal and health services to those in need;
  • Winning orders of protection for victims of domestic abuse; and
  • Providing tax, corporate governance and negotiation assistance to charitable organizations serving communities in a multitude of ways, including the provision of HIV/AIDS-related medical services, support of survivors of sex trafficking, and education of young people on sustainability and protection of our natural resources.

"Katten has a long history of supporting pro bono services in a broad range of areas. These attorneys are being recognized for their consistent commitment to pro bono projects and the lasting impact their work has made on the communities they serve," said Jonathan Baum, Katten's Director of Pro Bono Services. "These awards are also a snapshot of the work done by hundreds of Katten attorneys who give their time and knowledge to help those who are less fortunate and are in need of legal representation."

Katten's Pro Bono Service Award honorees were presented with their awards during events in various Katten offices. Chicago recipients were honored during a ceremony featuring The Honorable Judge Sara L. Ellis of the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois; Washington, DC honorees were presented with awards during a ceremony featuring Stacie E. Reimer, Founder and Executive Director of the Amara Legal Center, and Susan Hackett, Director of Street Law; New York recipients were honored during a ceremony featuring Rebecca Price, Esq., Mediation Supervisor for the US District Court for the Southern District of New York; Los Angeles – Century City honorees were presented with awards at an event featuring the Honorable A. Howard Matz, Former Senior District Judge of the US District Court for the Central District of California; and Charlotte recipients were honored during a ceremony featuring The Honorable Regan A. Miller, Chief District Court Judge of Mecklenburg County.

Katten's Pro Bono Service Awards include $1,000 honorariums, which recipients donate to charities of their choice.