Our Commitment To Pro Bono - Quarles & Brady LLP

“Pro bono work provides an incredible opportunity to explore andfully experience the power of the law. As an attorney representinga pro bono client, you are placed in a position where you becomeresponsible for changing the course of someone’s life forever.”Our Commitment To Pro Bono –A Core Value

A Core ValueDear Friends,Quarles & Brady has for many years demonstratedan enthusiastic commitment to theprovision of pro bono legal services by Q&Battorneys. We consider it our duty to help to ensure that justiceis available to all persons, regardless of income, and we strive toprovide quality legal representation for those in our communitieswho are least able to pay, yet most in need of those services. Ourcommitment to pro bono is a core value of Q&B and is ingrainedin our culture.That dedication and commitment constantly drives us to do more.Rather than be satisfied with the already high level of pro bonorepresentation we provide, we search for other projects to whichwe can direct our resources. We continually set the bar higher.Our former Chair/Managing Partner, Patrick M. Ryan, believed ina strong pro bono program. Under his leadership we became asignatory to the Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge sponsored by thePro Bono Institute at Georgetown University. We intend to buildon Pat’s legacy and have “challenged” ourselves to contributepro bono work at an amount of time each year equal to at least3% of our total billable hours. We have successfully acceptedthe Challenge with eagerness and enthusiasm.In the pages that follow, you will learn about pro bono in actionat Quarles & Brady. We do this not to solicit praise or congratulationsfor that commitment, but to point out that we are proud of whatwe do. It is among the best legal work we perform.John W. Daniels, Jr.ChairmanOn The Cover:Grant Sovern of our Madison officeand Celestina Owusu-Sanders of ourMilwaukee office (quoted on cover)successfully represented a Senegalesewoman seeking asylum after beingassaulted and imprisoned for politicalreasons. Quarles & Brady has anactive pro bono immigration andasylum practice.Q&B’s pro bono hours in 2007 equaled the equivalent of 11 full time lawyers.

Community-Based RepresentationOur pro bono program is rooted in the representationof low-income and disadvantaged persons in thecommunities in which we practice. Through organizationssuch as the Volunteer Lawyer programs inWisconsin and Arizona, the Legal Aid Bureau inChicago, the Children’s Network of SouthwestFlorida and many others, Quarles & Brady makesa conscious effort to close the justice gap.“The women at the TaskForce on Family Violence aregrateful for guidance throughthe restraining order process,to be taken seriously, andto have a friend sittingbeside them as they testifyin the presence of theirabuser – to break free andstart a healthier life.”– Adrienne Olson, MilwaukeeQuarles & Brady lawyers help the lessfortunate in their communities securegovernment benefits, deal with unscrupulouslandlords and predatory lenders and obtainorders that protect them from domesticviolence. We put guardianships and willsin place, assist on tax issues, help themrecover from disasters, adopt children andregain custody of children they have lost.We help in whatever way we can.“I started working at a very young age and was exposed topeople who needed help. I was raised to always help peoplein need with whatever means I had available. By doingpro bono work, I receive the personal satisfaction that I’vehelped people who really need it.” – Luis Ochoa, TucsonQ&B gives hour-for-hour credit to lawyers for indigent pro bono representation.

Transactional Asssistance to Local and National Non-Profits“I provide pro bono work to give back to the community utilizingboth my legal training and experience. Our firm strongly believes inHabitat’s mission of providing affordable housing, and together wehave the opportunity to make a bigger impact in the community.”– Diane Haller, Phoenix“The corporate philanthropy demonstrated by Quarles & Bradyreflects the integrity and professionalism with which they serveall their clients.” – Habitat For Humanity“Through pro bono work, we can help those most in need, and rekindlethe human spirit around the corner, or even around the globe. Quarlesworked hand-in-hand to assist a client in Wisconsin realize the dream ofbuilding a village in Kenya for orphans left homeless by the AIDS crisis.”– Kristin Graham Noel, MadisonFinding non-litigation pro bono work is always a challenge, butQuarles & Brady lawyers are active in dozens of transactionalmatters involving non-profits and micro-businesses. The greatmajority of these clients serve the poor, the disabled or someother disadvantaged group, locally, nationally or internationally.““I’ve gained invaluable experience as the project manageron pro bono matters, which has simultaneously aided inmy growth as a responsible attorney and increased myappreciation for the community in which I work.”– Jodi Pellettiere, ChicagoWe recognize the importance of focusing on children.Putting words into action, we did the legal work toform, and we continue to represent, the Chicago chapterof Minds Matter, an organization that brings inner citychildren together with mentors. In Naples, we providea variety of legal services to Fun Time Early ChildhoodAcademy, which works to improve the school readinessof children living in poverty.Habitat for Humanity has received the equivalent of $1 million in legal services from Q&B.

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children“Returning children to their parents hasbeen an invaluable experience on apersonal and professional level – a reminderof what we, as lawyers, can do.”– Cheri Baden, Milwaukee“The emotions in reuniting the child with her father wereoverwhelming, and the lawyering and teamwork necessaryto achieve the result were humbling!”– Brad Vynalek, above right with Dawn Valdivia andLuis Ramirez, Phoenix”“I can only imagine the pain a parent feels when an abduction occurs. Theinability to afford an attorney to help recover a child makes a bad situationeven worse.”– Mike D’Onofrio, NaplesLawyers in all of our offices have enthusiastically signed on to helpwith cases sent to us by the National Center for Missing & ExploitedChildren. Because of the hard work of these lawyers, children abductedand brought to the United States by non-custodial parents have beenreturned to their homes.Arizona and Wisconsin law students receive Q&B scholarships to the national Equal Justice Conference.

Securing Individual and Civil Rights“Personal feelings aside, there should be little debate thatdefendants facing the ultimate penalty of death should beentitled to vigorous and exceptional representation. A probono post-conviction death penalty case challenges counselto dedicate his or her skills and acumen to a highly worthwhilecause – vindication of Constitutional rights, involving lifeand death stakes.”– Jeff Davis, above, with Elizabeth Perkins, MilwaukeeQuarles & Brady has had at least one pending capitalpunishment case annually for the last 25 years. Wealso have an active criminal appellate pro bono practice,taking appointments from state and federal courts,and represent prisoners on appointment in Section1983 actions.“Nothing is more fundamental to democracy than the right tovote. Therefore, ensuring that all eligible citizens are free toexercise that right maintains the well-being of our democraticsystem.” – Gavin Milczarek-Desai, TucsonAmong the Constitutional issues for which we have providedrepresentation is Voters’ Rights. Our Arizona, Wisconsin andIllinois offices each have taken projects for non-partisanorganizations who strive to guarantee the right of every citizento vote without impediment.Q&B lawyers hold key positions on state pro bono committees and commissions.

Right Outside Our WindowsI am fond of telling friends that I have one of the most feel-good jobsin the practice of law–I help administer a thriving pro bono programthat is backed by a determined and proven commitment to providinglegal representation to low income and disadvantaged people.And best of all, it is a program that truly focuses on the needs oflow-income people in the communities in which we practice. As thepreceding pages indicate, we handle an array of “non-local” pro bonomatters, especially on the criminal and civil rights side, but ouremphasis is, as it should be, on the huge justice gap affecting thepeople and neighborhoods we can see from our office windows.Thus, as an example, our Chicago office collaborates with the Legal AidBureau in family law matters and our Naples office handles adoptionsfor the Children’s Network of Southwest Florida. Our Arizona officesand the lawyers in them consistently win awards from the VolunteerLawyers Program for the work they undertake for individuals with avariety of legal problems. Our Madison office partners with the Universityof Wisconsin Law School to work in a courthouse domestic abuseclinic and our Milwaukee office is honored, again, for the work it doesfor the local Task Force on Family Violence.We are committed to the communities in which we live and work andalways will be. That is who we are.Mike GonringPro Bono Coordinator“Life’s most persistent and urgentquestion is, ‘What are you doingfor others?’”– Martin Luther King Jr.Four first-year Q&B lawyers were “externed” to legal service providers in 2007.

Pro Bono Coordinatorsand AssistantsPartial List of Our Pro Bono Clients and OrganizationsNationalMike GonringChicagoRobert GamrathEllen GirardMadisonGrant SovernMilwaukeeMichael GonringNaplesKevin CarmichaelJennifer NackleyPhoenixThomas ArnSandra CretaTucsonLuis OchoaKasey NyeLocal OrganizationsArizona State University Homeless LegalAssistance ProgramCentro Legal of MilwaukeeChildren’s Network of Southwest FloridaCollier CountyDavid Lawrence Center & FoundationFt. McDowell Indian CommunityKids MatterLegal Action of Wisconsin, Inc.Legal Aid Bureau of ChicagoLegal Aid Society of MilwaukeeMarquette University Volunteer Legal ClinicMilwaukee County Task Force onFamily ViolenceNational Center on Poverty LawPublic Interest Law InitiativeSouthern Arizona Legal AidState Bar of ArizonaUniversity of Arizona Law SchoolVolunteer Lawyers Program of Maricopa CountyVolunteer Lawyers Program of Pima CountyVolunteer Lawyers Project of MilwaukeeWisconsin Bar AssociationTransactionalARC MilwaukeeAfrican American AllianceAsian American Relief OrganizationAurora Weier Education CenterBoys & Girls Clubs of Collier CountyCambodia Countryside FoundationCommunity Concerns for Families and YouthCommunity Economic Development Law ProjectCommunity Housing Resources of ArizonaF.U.T.U.R.E ImpressionsFellowship OpenFlambeau FoundationFrieden's Food PantryFun Time Early Childhood AcademyHabitat for HumanityHampton HR Community DevelopmentOrganizationHunger and Homeless Coalition ofCollier CountyHunger Task ForceImmokalee Helping Our People in EmergenciesINROADS WisconsinMilwaukee Crisis Resource CenterMilwaukee Rescue MissionMilwaukee University Graduate SchoolMinds MatterNew Beginnings Are PossibleNorthwest Side Community DevelopmentOne by One Leadership FoundationProtecting Arizona's Families CoalitionPublic Interest Law InitiativeQuest MilwaukeeSafe & SoundSt. Vincent DePaul SocietySharing Resources WorldwideSilver Spring Neighborhood HouseThe Guest HouseThe Red BusValley Big Brothers, Big SistersVillages for Aids Affected ChildrenWestside Resource CenterWills for HeroesWomen's Fund of Greater MilwaukeeCriminal, Civil Rights, Immigration/Asylum, Etc.Advancement ProjectAmerican Bar Association Death PenaltyRepresentation ProjectArizona Justice ProjectCatholic Charities of MilwaukeeChandler Coalition for Civil and Human RightsFederal Defender of WisconsinIllinois Ballot Integrity ProjectInternational Human Rights Institute,DePaul UniversityLawyers Committee for Civil Rights Underthe LawMilwaukee County Municipal CourtNational Center for Missing & ExploitedChildrenNational Immigrant Justice CenterThe Florence ProjectThe Veterans ConsortiumUnited States Court of Appeals for the 7th CircuitUnited States District Court for ArizonaUnited States District Court for theNorthern District of IllinoisUnited States District Court, Eastern Districtof WisconsinWisconsin State Public DefenderChicago312.715.5000Naples239.262.5959www.quarles.comCommon Ground.Uncommon Vision.Madison608.251.5000Milwaukee414.277.5000Phoenix602.229.5200Tucson520.770.8700