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Lawrence J. Beaser to be Awarded the 2016 Honorable Louis H. Pollak Champion of the Public Interest Award

Larry Beaser - Blank Rome LLPThe Philadelphia Bar Foundation is thrilled to announce its decision to present Lawrence J. Beaser, Esq., Partner, Blank Rome LLP with The Honorable Louis H. Pollak Champion of the Public Interest Award

In announcing this award, Steven Bizar, Esq., Foundation President and Partner at Dechert LLP stated, “It is such a special occasion for the Bar Foundation to recognize Larry as a true champion of accomplishing access to justice for all. Larry is an extraordinary friend and supporter of the public interest community and his career long efforts have greatly advanced the legal aid mission of the Foundation for those struggling with poverty, abuse, and discrimination.” 

This important and prestigious honor will be officially presented at the Access to Justice Benefit of the Bar Foundation on Saturday evening, November 5, 2016 at the Independence Seaport Museum. 

“We truly look forward to giving this award to Larry at our annual benefit,” said Benefit Co-Chair, Deborah Gross, Esq., Bar Association Chancellor-Elect, Kaufman, Coren & Ress, P.C. “His commitment to philanthropy on behalf of legal aid and other nonprofits is a model for all attorneys,” added Tricia Horter, Esq., Citizens Bank, N.A. 

Larry has long served as the Philadelphia Bar Association’s board representative at The Philadelphia Foundation, counsel to the Bar Association, and a board member of numerous nonprofits. 

The Honorable Louis H. Pollak Champion of the Public Interest Award is presented by the Philadelphia Bar Foundation on special occasions to a lawyer who has been a true champion of the public interest legal community. The Pollak Award honors a lawyer, in private practice, who throughout his or her career has provided extraordinary service, including through support of the Philadelphia Bar Foundation, to the mission of accomplishing access to justice for all. 

Robert C. (Bob) Heim, a partner at Dechert LLP, received the inaugural Pollak Award in 2014. 

The Pollak Award is a special award in memory of a remarkable man. As a lawyer, jurist and citizen, Judge Pollak championed the rights of the underprivileged in our community. With the greatest sensitivity and commensurate wisdom and intellect, Judge Pollak advanced the public interest, by his commitment to civil rights and the rights of all. It is a great honor that his wife has allowed the Bar Foundation to present this award in his name. More information is found online at http://www.philabarfoundation.org/grants-andawards/awards/honorable-louis-h-pollak-award

Larry Beaser was selected to receive the Pollak Award both to honor his lifetime of service and to recognize his exceptional service to and leadership on the Board of Managers of The Philadelphia Foundation (TPF). He has been a member of the TPF board for 20 years, serving as chair for seven and a half years, and now serves as Chair Emeritus. 

The Bar Foundation and TPF are partners in promoting greater philanthropy and stronger nonprofits to meet the most pressing community needs. TPF is one of America’s oldest community foundations (founded in 1918) and is committed to improving the quality of life in Greater Philadelphia. 

“Larry’s steady leadership, intellect, passion, and devotion to TPF and the community have brought great benefit to the people of our region and have made nonprofit organizations stronger,” said Pedro A. Ramos, TPF’s President and CEO. 

Larry is a longstanding member of the Bar Foundation’s Hamilton Circle, signifying at least $10,000 in donations over time. He held the position of Chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association in 1994, and he currently serves as Counsel to the Association’s Board of Governors. Larry has been a board member for several nonprofits and, in addition to serving as Chair Emeritus and a member of TPF’s board, is currently an Advisory Board Member for Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts, a grantee of the Bar Foundation. Each year Larry provides over 130 hours of pro bono service, including pro bono representation of Bar Foundation grantees. In government service, Larry previously was chief legal counsel to Pennsylvania Gov. Milton J. Shapp and a Deputy Attorney General. As a partner of Blank Rome LLP, he counsels individuals and entities in the fields of nonprofit and for-profit business law, health and health insurance law, and government law. 

The Philadelphia Bar Foundation embodies the legal community’s commitment to the fundamental principal of equal access to justice for all people, particularly those struggling with poverty, abuse and discrimination. The mission of the Bar Foundation and its grants, training, and other forms of support for legal aid nonprofits reflect the core professional values that are binding on all attorneys. 

As stated in the Preamble to the Pennsylvania Rules of Professional Conduct, a “lawyer should be mindful of deficiencies in the administration of justice and of the fact that the poor, and sometimes persons who are not poor, cannot afford adequate legal assistance. Therefore, all lawyers should devote professional time and resources and use civic influence to ensure equal access to our system of justice for all those who because of economic or social barriers cannot afford or secure adequate legal counsel. A lawyer should aid the legal profession in pursuing these objectives and should help the bar regulate itself in the public interest.” (emphasis added). 

 

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