Firm Receives National Law Journal's 2011 Pro Bono Award

MINNEAPOLIS (January 2011) - Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. is pleased to announce that the firm received The National Law Journal's 2011 Pro Bono Award for its work over the last three years representing victims of Minnesota's I-35W bridge collapse. Attorneys and staff logged over 20,000 hours in free legal services to secure nearly $100 million for survivors and those who lost loved ones. A profile about the firm's pro bono work was published in The National Law Journal's January 3, 2011 issue. 

"Making such a profound difference in the lives of our clients is what inspired many of us to be attorneys," says Anne Lockner, chair of Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi's Pro Bono Committee and a partner in the firm. "While the bridge collapse highlights our commitment to helping those in need on a very large scale, the firm's dedication to assisting those without access to proper legal representation is an integral part of our culture."

In the bridge collapse case, Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. assembled and led a group of 17 local law firms to represent families of the 13 killed and 150 injured on August 1, 2007 when the I-35W bridge fell. In total, the firm earned nearly $100 million for survivors and families who lost loved ones.

Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. attorneys are encouraged to take on pro bono cases with as much dedication as any other case. To make service more manageable, the firm counts pro bono hours towards attorneys' billable hour requirements. Each attorney, on average, contributes approximately 141 hours of pro bono work annually. In 2009 alone, pro bono efforts made up over seven percent of total attorney billable time.

Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. is among six firms selected by The National Law Journal that best reflect the pro bono tradition.