Starting in March 2008, the law firm of Mayer Brown LLP will join the List Project as a pilot partner, taking on 5-7 cases from the List. Over 70 attorneys at the firm have expressed interest in assuming a case should Mayer Brown expand from a pilot to a full-time partner in the Project.
Background on Mayer Brown LLP 'Mayer Brown seeks to institutionalize pro bono law: to practice law in the trenches - representing disadvantaged clients and often unpopular causes - while utilizing the resources of one of the world's top corporate and litigation law firms on behalf of causes and cases frequently overlooked by such firms.
Our lawyers participate in a broad range of pro bono public service and community activities in the United States, the United Kingdom, and throughout the world. We offer not only legal representation in trial, appellate, and transactional matters; we provide training and encouragement to junior lawyers attracted to public interest law as well as financial support to public interest organizations.
Our U.S. partnership created the position of a full-time Director of Pro Bono Activities in 1999, recruiting Marc Kadish, a law school clinical professor for 20 years who has devoted his professional life to public interest activities. At about the same time, our UK partnership appointed Julie Dickins, as the partner in charge of its pro bono work. Julie had joined the firm as a trainee solicitor in 1980, and became a partner in the litigation and dispute resolution department in 1990. Most recently, the firm added the position of Assistant Director of Pro Bono Activities, which was filled by Marcia Maack, a lawyer in our Washington, D.C. office. Together, Marc, Julie and Marcia work to find and coordinate worthwhile projects and cases for lawyers and nonlawyers. Marc also supervises the training of junior associates in litigation.
Marcia Tavares Maack
Esq.
Ms.
Maack, a
lawyer based in the firm's Washington, D.C. office, assumed
the position of Assistant Director of Pro Bono Activities
for the U.S., Germany, and Paris in October 2006. Ms.
Maack works closely with Marc Kadish, the Director of Pro
Bono Activities and Litigation Training, Julie Dickins, the
Pro Bono Partner in charge of London and Brussels, and the
Pro Bono Committee, to administer the firm's pro bono
program.
Ms. Maack's responsibilities as Assistant Director of Pro
Bono Activities include identifying, developing, and
selecting new pro bono opportunities for the firm that will
benefit society, while also providing our junior lawyers
with important training and skills development
opportunities. Additionally, Ms. Maack is involved in case
management and works to ensure a broad range of
participation in the firm's pro bono activities. Most
recently, Ms. Maack helped develop and launch the firm's
internal pro bono opportunities website, which allows our
lawyers to search for pro bono opportunities, as well as
access pro bono training materials and information on pro
bono training programs. Ms. Maack also works with the
Director of Pro Bono Activities and the Pro Bono Committee
to implement the firm's pro bono strategic plan, which is
designed to provide even higher quality pro bono
opportunities to lawyers from all of our offices and
practice areas, achieve results commensurate with the
quality and challenge of our paying client work, and realize
significant results for the public good.
Before becoming the firm's Assistant Director of Pro Bono
Activities, Ms. Maack was a lawyer in Mayer, Brown's
litigation practice group.