Pierce Atwood Recognizes Attorneys and Staff at its 2016 Pro Bono & Community Service Awards Ceremony

Pierce Atwood encourages pro bono, community service, and charitable activities as part of its firm culture. One way we do so is by recognizing those in our firm who have made outstanding pro bono and community service contributions. At our Third Annual Pro Bono & Community Service Awards Ceremony, we recognized the efforts of our attorneys and staff in 2016 by presenting these firm awards:

McKusick Community Impact Award:  Named after Vincent Lee McKusick, former Chief Justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court and Pierce Atwood friend and lawyer for more than 50 years, the McKusick Community Impact Award recognizes one attorney and one staff member annually who have made significant, positive impacts in their communities through pro bono and/or community service. Award recipients select a charitable organization to receive a monetary donation made on their behalf by Pierce Atwood. The winners are:

• Tony Derosby, partner in the Immigration Practice Group in the Portland office, for his work with Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project (ILAP), his ongoing mentoring of ILAP volunteer attorneys and for offering immigration workshops. Pierce Atwood has a long-standing relationship with ILAP, which provides affordable legal services and collaborates with service providers, policymakers, and the public concerning legal issues unique to immigrants, to ensure immigrants can effectively navigate Maine’s legal system. ILAP helps immigrants gain or improve their legal status, unites families, improves educational and employment opportunities, and helps them contribute fully to their new communities in Maine.
   
• Karen Bean, a legal assistant in the Portland office, for her work with Girls on the Run. Girls on the Run works to inspire girls to be “joyful, healthy, and confident, using a fun, experience-based curriculum that creatively integrates running.

Scribner Firm Impact Award: Named after longtime former partner Fred Scribner, whose legacy endures through the firm’s commitment to the community, its employees, and the law, this award is given annually to one attorney and one staff member who work to keep pro bono and community service top of mind throughout the firm.

The 2016 winners are Ron LaRocca, a litigation associate in the Providence, RI office, and Mary Clifford, a legal assistant in the Portland office. Ron was selected for his ongoing work with KIND (Kids in Need of Defense) and RI VLP (Rhode Island Volunteer Lawyers Project), as well as his tireless dedication to providing legal assistance to the family of a Pierce Atwood employee who tragically lost her life.

Since 2010, Mary has been the “heart and soul” behind the Portland office’s annual Day of Community Service. From contacting potential organizations to purchasing snacks for employees working at different volunteer sites, firm colleagues recognized her for “always giving her best, wanting things to be perfect, and caring from her heart!”

Pro Bono Attorney of the Year:  Recognizing the attorney who has contributed the highest number of pro bono hours in a year, this award was presented to Griff Leschefske, a Trusts & Estates associate in the Portland office. In 2016, Griff completed 313 hours of pro bono service, providing assistance to CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), Maine VLP, and several individuals, families, and nonprofit organizations.