O'Melveny's 2018-2019 Pro Bono Review

O’MELVENY PRO BONO PROGRAM REVIEW 2018- 2019 2 LETTER FROM THE CHAIR To Our Clients and Friends, On June 10, 1963, 46 lawyers issued a statement condemning Alabama Governor George Wallace, who had defied a court order by standing in a doorway at the University of Alabama in an attempt to block the entry of two African American students. The statement read, in part, “Lawyers have a special responsibility to support the rule of law in our society and to obey the fundamental legal principles that guarantee safety and justice for all.” O’Melveny partner Harry Dunn signed the statement and later President John Kennedy invited him and the other lawyers to the White House. The meeting led to the formation of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. Dunn served on its first board and several O’Melveny partners have followed him over the years. The lawyers’ statement, issued more than a half century ago, was then and is now consistent with O’Melveny’s philosophy about the role of lawyers in our society and in our community. The firm is governed by a set of common values: excellence, leadership, and citizenship. These values are paramount in every O’Melveny office, in every practice. Our commitment to integrity and ethics, quality and excellence at every level, define our collective priorities in our devotion to public service. It is our mission not just to support the communities where we live and work, but also to become leaders in those communities. We have a stake in our common institutions and we strive to make them better. At the same time, we are obligated to try to make this a fairer, more just world for everyone, especially those who do not have the means to hire a lawyer. While our pro bono clients are often the strongest and most resilient people we serve, they are frequently unable to access the legal system without our assistance. It is our duty and privilege to serve these clients with all of the vigor and resourcefulness that we devote to our commercial cases. Bradley J. Butwin Chair, O’Melveny & Myers LLP