Through the Afghan refugee project, more than 60 Quarles attorneys and business professionals across the country provided critical legal assistance to Afghan asylum seekers who were evacuated by the U.S. military after the fall of Kabul in August 2021. The firm has helped many of these refugees navigate the U.S. immigration system as they seek to avoid being sent back to Afghanistan. Hear more about our work on this project in the video below.
Pro Bono
Passionate advocates.
Driven to fight for those who can’t fight for themselves.
Giving back through pro bono service is an integral part of Quarles. It’s in our DNA. Representing those without the resources to represent themselves is our responsibility, a calling and core to our promise of shared purpose. Our commitment to the communities where we live and work is tireless. Each year since 2004, we have committed to the Pro Bono Institute’s target for firms to donate the equivalent of at least 3% of total billable hours to pro bono work for low-income individuals and community organizations.
The gap we work to bridge.
We recognize there is a gap — a substantial one, in fact — between those who need legal representation and those who can access it. Too many people are forced to go it alone when facing a crisis related to areas such as eviction, immigration, veterans benefits and domestic violence. By donating our time, skills and resources, our people help reduce this justice gap and provide invaluable support to individuals and families in need.
Partnering with others dedicated to the cause.
We partner with community organizations, law schools, civil legal aid providers and clients to deliver creative and innovative pro bono assistance and solutions. The organizations with whom we partner include the Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program, Legal Services Corporation, Kids In Need of Defense (KIND), National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC), HIAS, Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund and more. Together, we create committed teams that others count on for passionate advocacy. It is our honor to care for and represent those in need.
Helping others is its own reward.
Our enduring commitment to pro bono service is grounded in our belief that we have an obligation to help those in need and to address the justice gap in this country. But this work comes with invaluable rewards: The feeling you get when you’ve made a meaningful difference in the life of someone who had nowhere else to turn. Partners Jake Bradley, Emily Feinstein and Steven Hunter share more about the emotional impact of their pro bono work in this video.
A great way to grow and develop.
While our commitment to pro bono is primarily about our belief in the importance of helping those who otherwise might not be able to access legal support, it also provides important professional development opportunities to our attorneys and business professionals. You can hear more in these videos about how providing pro bono service helps our people learn and grow professionally.
For more information
To view more pro bono stories, check out our YouTube playlist.
For further detail regarding our pro bono work, please contact Dawn Caldart, our pro bono director, at (414) 277-5553 / dawn.caldart@quarles.com.
Pro Bono Case Studies
Afghan Refugee Project
Kinship Community Food Center
Kinship Community Food Center in Milwaukee supports the food needs of individuals and families, including children, persons on fixed incomes, unemployed individuals with barriers to steady employment and individuals experiencing homelessness, mental illness and addiction. As the organization began evolving from a traditional pantry model into a more holistic, relational approach to addressing hunger, it sought legal guidance on the evolution. A team of Quarles attorneys and paralegals have provided pro bono legal services addressing corporate guidance, trademark and rebranding, real estate and more.
The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program
The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program (TVC), founded in 1992, provides assistance to unrepresented veterans and/or their family members who have filed appeals at the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC) and also recruits and trains attorneys in the field of veterans law. Quarles has supported TVC since 2017, with dozens of attorneys from 10 of the firm’s offices handling cases before the CAVC. In addition, the firm partners with TVC each year to host a special Veterans Day training session to teach attorneys from around the country how to help veterans appeal unfavorable decisions by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Learn more about the Quarles partnership with TVC in the video below.
“Quarles has a long history of serving the communities in which we live and work through a wide variety of pro bono initiatives. The desire to help those in need runs deep in our culture and we embrace the opportunity to do our part in addressing the significant issues our country faces when it comes to access to legal representation.”
– Michael Levey, national pro bono partner
