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NLADA Announces 2021 Beacon of Justice Awardees

National Legal Aid & Defender Association logoThe National Legal Aid & Defender Association (NLADA) has announced the Beacon of Justice Awardees for 2021.  This award is bestowed on law firms for their work to promote equal justice. This year’s awardees were chosen because of their work to address systemic racial disparities in 2020.

Awardees include: Akin Gump, Arent Fox, Baker McKenzie, Crowell & Moring, Debevoise & Plimpton, Dechert, DLA Piper, Epstein Baker Green, Gibson Dunn, Goodwin Procter, Kirkland & Ellis, Kramer LevinLatham & Watkins, Lowenstein Sandler, Mintz, Morrison & Foerster, O'Melveny & Myers, Sheppard Mullin, Steptoe & Johnson, Stinson, WilmerHale, Wilson Sonsini and Zuckerman Spaeder.

“NLADA is pleased to recognize this year’s winners for their pro bono and other efforts to advance racial equity,” said Jo-Ann Wallace, NLADA president & CEO. “These firms are vital partners in the NLADA community’s endeavor to dismantle racial inequities and injustices. We look forward to our continued collaboration to eliminate systemic racism in our nation. Congratulations on your achievements, and thank you for your commitment to equal justice.”

The Beacon of Justice awardees will be celebrated at the 2021 NLADA Exemplar Virtual Awards Gala on June 9.  NLADA will also recognize this year’s Exemplar Awards honorees, Jim Chosy, Senior Executive Vice President and General Counsel of U.S. Bancorp and Jack Salzwedel, Chair and Chief Executive Officer of American Family Insurance along with 2021 Kutak-Dodds Prize winners, Teresa Enriquez, Executive Chief Assistant for Recruitment and Litigation for the Miami-Dade Public Defender’s Office and Ishmael Jaffree, Pro Bono Attorney with Legal Services Alabama.

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