News

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP is pleased to announce that Steve Hollman and Katherine Anne Boy Skipsey are the recipients of the 2025 Bob Gerber Pro Bono Award.

Hollman, a partner in the Business Trial practice group based in the firm's Washington, D.C. office, is being recognized for a career defined by his commitment to pro bono work and the pursuit of justice. In recent years, he represented Trout Unlimited in an environmental matter to protect Bristol Bay, Alaska, safeguarding a critical natural resource that serves as the spawning ground for 40 percent of the world's sockeye salmon. Hollman also played a key role in expanding absentee voting rights for individuals with print disabilities, including blindness, in West Virginia and Virginia, an effort that contributed to the American Bar Association awarding the firm the 2021 Pro Bono Publico Award. Most recently, Hollman has worked with the ACLU to challenge Washington D.C.’s emergency response system for individuals in mental health crises and successfully helped a grieving family in reopening the investigation into a suspicious death in 1986 that was initially ruled a suicide.

“A signature accomplishment of my career has been to have the very good fortune to work with a talented team of lawyers willing and committed to use their extraordinary talents to bring justice to individuals who would not attain it without their representation. It is no small wonder that the ABA recognized Sheppard Mullin’s pro bono program as a top law firm pro bono program in the nation. I am so grateful to have had the chance to contribute to its public interest advocacy with such outstanding lawyers under the remarkable leadership of Dan Brown and with the inspiration of Bob Gerber,” said Hollman.

Boy Skipsey, an associate in the Business Trial practice group in the firm’s New York office, is recognized for achieving significant outcomes for vulnerable clients facing challenging circumstances. She devoted substantial time representing a decorated U.S. Army veteran who served with distinction during the Iraq war, completing over 250 joint patrols and enduring multiple combat engagements in high-profile and risk missions. The client, denied an honorable discharge and the critical benefits accompanying it due to service-related PTSD, had his status unanimously upgraded to “Honorable” following Boy Skipsey’s meticulous preparation, briefing and presentation before the Army Discharge Review Board. This victory not only restored access to essential benefits, but also ensured official recognition of the client’s courageous service. In another matter, Boy Skipsey led a litigation team defending a family, including a wheelchair user, threatened with eviction from their accessible apartment. Her years of dedicated advocacy and thorough trial preparation culminated in a settlement on the eve of trial that enabled the family to obtain a lease for new, affordable and accessible housing. This outcome not only secured suitable housing, but also provided much-needed stability and peace of mind for the entire family.

“Representing a war veteran and a family in crisis became deeply personal to me. Seeing their relief after successful outcomes made these cases some of the most rewarding in my career and reinforced my belief in the legal profession’s ability to make a difference for those in need,” added Boy Skipsey.

Pro Bono Partner Dan Brown commented, “Steve is the epitome of a lawyer’s lawyer, using his skills to pursue justice and mentor attorneys along the way. Katherine Anne has achieved life-changing results for people in need while honing her litigation skills. They both demonstrate the profound impact of pro bono.”

Sheppard Mullin's Bob Gerber Pro Bono Award is the firm’s highest pro bono honor, recognizing and rewarding the important pro bono work done by Sheppard Mullin attorneys. The award is named in honor and memory of Bob Gerber, the founder of Sheppard Mullin’s pro bono program and its leader for more than a decade.