Akin Gump Wins Pro Bono Award

10/03/2000

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Jacinta O'Shea-Ramdeholl

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Sarah Richmond

Senior Communications Manager

(Dallas, Texas) -- Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, L.L.P is pleased to announce that for the second year in a row, the firm was named “Law Firm of the Year” by the Dallas Attorney Volunteer Program. The award was presented at the 18th Annual Pro Bono Awards and Volunteer Recognition Reception on September 28 at the Belo Mansion.

The Dallas Attorney Volunteer Program is a joint program administered by the Dallas Bar Association and Legal Services of North Texas to provide free legal services to the low-income community in Dallas County.

Diane P. Couchman, senior counsel in Akin Gump’s litigation practice group, received an “Outstanding Pro Bono Coordinator” award for her pro bono work. Ms. Couchman has led the firm’s pro bono effort for many years, and was recognized for her leadership in encouraging others to participate and for her mentoring of other lawyers. Paralegals Christy Lawrence and Florence Ciavatta were recognized with “Distinguished Support” awards. The Dallas office pro bono program is headed by litigation partner James Underwood.

J. Kenneth Menges Jr., chairman of the Dallas office practice committee, stated, “Akin Gump’s commitment to pro bono service is part of our heritage, and we are very proud to have so many lawyers continuing this valuable service.”

Akin Gump’s more than 130 volunteers donated over 6,000 hours of legal services to the program between June 1, 1999, and May 31, 2000. The firm handles numerous pro bono cases through the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program and the Housing Crisis Center, as well as through other pro bono programs in Dallas.

Founded in 1945, Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, L.L.P., a leading international law firm, numbers more than 900 lawyers with offices in Austin, Brussels, Dallas, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, New York, Northern Virginia, Philadelphia, Riyadh (affiliate), San Antonio and Washington. The firm has a diversified practice and represents regional, national and international clients in a wide range of areas, including antitrust; banking and financial institutions; bankruptcy, reorganization and creditors’ rights; capital markets; communications; corporate and securities; employee benefits; energy; entertainment; environmental; estate planning, wealth transfer and probate; government contracts; health; insurance; intellectual property; international; investment management; labor and employment; litigation; mergers and acquisitions; privatization; project finance; public law and policy; real estate and finance; taxation; and technology. For additional information, please visit our Web site at http://www.akingump.com.

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