Madison Partner Emily Feinstein Featured in State Bar of Wisconsin’s “Volunteer Spotlight” for Pro Bono Work
Emily Feinstein, partner and pro bono coordinator in the Quarles & Brady Madison office, was featured in the State Bar of Wisconsin’s “Volunteer Spotlight” in its monthly pro bono newsletter for her extensive pro bono work.
Feinstein has played a pivotal role in creating a network of people, both within the firm and the broader Madison legal community, who aid victims of domestic violence. She also was part of the team representing the parent of a child killed in the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in a defamation case against someone espousing hoax theories about the shooting. Additionally, Feinstein represented several LGBTQ student groups in a case involving a school district’s policy to allow the students to self-select their pronouns.
In an excerpt from the spotlight, Feinstein discusses why she has made pro bono work a part of her practice and the benefits of pro bono:
She says, “Using our legal skills to help those who cannot afford legal services helps make our community stronger and (of course) is an ethical obligation of all attorneys."
…
When reflecting on the benefits of pro bono, Attorney Feinstein acknowledges that some impact litigation is more feasible at a firm like Quarles & Brady, but that an attorney in any practice setting can bring pro bono litigation into their practice. She emphasized the need for representation at domestic violence injunctions, where most cases require 5-10 hours of an attorney's time but can make a world of difference to survivors of violence. If the feeling of reward isn't enough to tempt attorneys to take cases, Attorney Feinstein also stressed the importance of practice and experience for honing your trial skills and appearing in court with your local judges.