Proskauer For Good

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Proskauer For Good

UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Declares Detention of Sri Lankan Author Violated International Law

By Joshua Spector

June 23, 2020

Working alongside Freedom Now, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advocacy for prisoners of conscience around the world, Proskauer obtained a victory before the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (the “Working Group”) for our client, Shakthika Sathkumara, an award-winning author who had been detained by Sri Lankan authorities for the publication of a fictional short story. Our petition to the Working Group alleged that Mr. Sathkumara’s detention was arbitrary and therefore impermissible under…

Proskauer For Good

Pro Bono Spotlight: Shanice Smith-Banks

By William C. Silverman

June 17, 2020

Earlier this month, justices of the Louisiana Supreme Court took their places one at a time as the proceedings began, just like they have done over the past 200 years, but this court appearance was a little different. For the first time in its history, the Court heard arguments over Zoom. And while many seasoned litigators go their entire careers without a single argument before their state’s highest court, first up that day was Shanice…

Proskauer For Good

Voting in the Pandemic: New Challenges and Solutions to Ensure Safe Access to the Ballot

By Erin Meyer & Karina Pantoja

June 3, 2020

On June 1 and 2, more than 45 volunteers across Proskauer’s US offices assisted voters in exercising their right to vote through a virtual Election Protection call center in partnership with the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. The Election Protection project strives to ensure that all voters have an equal opportunity to participate in the voting process, regardless of political affiliation. While Proskauer has proudly hosted Election Protection call centers in its…

Proskauer For Good

Proskauer Helps Small Businesses Navigate Labor & Employment Law Issues through COVID-19 Crisis

By William C. Silverman & Alexander Volpicello

May 26, 2020

Through Proskauer’s partnership with the City Bar Justice Center and Lawyers for Good Government, we helped launch the nationwide COVID-19 Small Business Remote Legal Clinic to consult with small businesses across a range of pressing issues: contracts & force majeure, leases, insurance, and, of course, the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program. One of the most active areas for the legal clinic has been labor & employment issues as entrepreneurs fight to keep…

Proskauer For Good

“Read Ahead” Responds to School Closures, Thousands of Students Left in Need

By Maxwell DeLott

May 13, 2020

On March 15, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the city’s public schools would close in response to the evolving COVID-19 pandemic. Overnight, more than 1,700 schools and over one million students and their families shifted to remote-learning curriculums. Since then, all NYC public schools have closed for the remainder of the academic year. For some families, the shift has been manageable, but for many others, it’s impractical. Without the technology needed for…

Proskauer For Good

Proskauer Pro Bono Assists “The Call to Unite,” a 24-Hour Livestreaming Event to Support Those in Need During the COVID-19 Crisis

By Stephanie Kapinos

April 29, 2020

Proskauer is proud to represent Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors d/b/a UNITE, a non-profit collaborative started by Special Olympics Chairman Tim Shriver, as pro bono counsel in connection with the planning and production of “The Call to Unite,” a 24-hour livestreaming event beginning on Friday, May 1 at 8 p.m. EDT. Mr. Shriver is leading the event, which will feature Oprah Winfrey, Presidents William J. Clinton and George W. Bush, Deepak Chopra, and a multitude of other…

Proskauer For Good

Mentoring During Coronavirus

By Wendy Dessy

April 15, 2020

COVID-19 has presented us with unprecedented challenges around the globe. We wish everyone good health. Our Firm remains committed to the many students we work with on a regular basis through our CSR programs. Although the virus has made it impossible to continue our face-to-face mentoring, we are connecting through webinars, phone and online meetings. Most recently, we were able to virtually host a class with John Jay College students on the topic of law…

Proskauer For Good

Expanding Public Service in the COVID-19 Crisis

By William C. Silverman

March 23, 2020

To consider the great need, among people of limited means, for civil legal services during the COVID-19 crisis, a good starting point is where we were before the crisis started. In short, civil legal resources for the poor in the United States are woefully inadequate. According to the Legal Services Corporation, which documents the justice gap in America, between 62% and 72% of civil legal needs among low-income Americans are addressed inadequately or not at…

Proskauer For Good

Leveling the Legal Playing Field for Poor Families in Family Court

By William C. Silverman, Na Hye Kim & Alexander Volpicello

March 12, 2020

The New York Statewide Central Register (SCR) of Abuse and Maltreatment maintains records of calls, allegations, and results of investigations regarding suspected child abuse and maltreatment. Although these records are not public, many employers and agencies are legally obligated to check the database before hiring applicants and accepting volunteers. Having an “indicated” report on file severely decreases the chances for an applicant to gain employment, as well as detrimentally affects one’s ability to secure housing…

Proskauer For Good

Advancing Empathetic Portrayals of Mental Health Issues in the Media: An Interview with Helene Ellison of the Media Empathy Foundation

By Erin Meyer & Nikhil Lahiri

February 24, 2020

What is “media empathy” and what is the mission of the Media Empathy (ME) Foundation? To us, “media empathy” means portraying people with mental illness in a compassionate way that recognizes their humanity and their struggles and makes them relatable, rather than vilifying them or treating them comically. This empathy is often missing in the narrative around mental health today. For example, while the media typically understands and depicts the challenges faced by cancer patients…

Proskauer For Good

The Proskauer corporate social responsibility and pro bono blog

Blog Authors

UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Declares Detention of Sri Lankan Author Violated International Law

Pro Bono Spotlight: Shanice Smith-Banks

Voting in the Pandemic: New Challenges and Solutions to Ensure Safe Access to the Ballot

Proskauer Helps Small Businesses Navigate Labor & Employment Law Issues through COVID-19 Crisis

“Read Ahead” Responds to School Closures, Thousands of Students Left in Need

Proskauer Pro Bono Assists “The Call to Unite,” a 24-Hour Livestreaming Event to Support Those in Need During the COVID-19 Crisis

Mentoring During Coronavirus

Expanding Public Service in the COVID-19 Crisis

Leveling the Legal Playing Field for Poor Families in Family Court

Advancing Empathetic Portrayals of Mental Health Issues in the Media: An Interview with Helene Ellison of the Media Empathy Foundation

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