Pro Bono
In August of 2020, Sheppard Mullin was proud to announce that Daniel L. Brown, a partner in the firm’s Business Trial practice group, was named the firm’s first dedicated Pro Bono Partner. Previously, Dan has overseen the firm’s pro bono practice while maintaining an active litigation practice. In this new role, Dan will focus exclusively on the firm’s pro bono program and matters in each of its offices.
Dan received the American Bar Association’s 2015 Pro Bono Publico Award, which honors those who have enhanced the human dignity of others by improving or delivering volunteer legal services to our nation's poor and disadvantaged. In 2022, he received the Leadership Action Award by Disability Rights Advocates for his tireless efforts advocating for people with disabilities.
About Our Pro Bono Program
This video tells our story better than we can; it features many of the people who we have had the privilege of assisting and underscores Sheppard Mullin’s commitment to pro bono work.
Sheppard Mullin is very proud of our pro bono work, coast-to-coast, to help the underserved and achieve justice and equality for all. Please watch this video from the American Bar Association recognizing Sheppard Mullin’s 2021 Pro Bono Publico award and hear from our attorneys about their great work and Sheppard Mullin’s culture of pro bono.
Sheppard Mullin and its attorneys have received numerous pro bono awards over the years, including most recently:
- 2023 – Casa Cornelia Law Center recognized Sheppard Mullin as the 2023 Pro Bono Law Firm of the Year. In addition, Elizabeth Balfour was awarded the 2023 Distinguished Pro Bono Attorney of the Year
- 2023 – The ACLU Foundation of Southern California Awards Sheppard Mullin with the Voting Rights Award in recognition of the firm’s expertise and avid partnership regarding redistricting litigation in Riverside County, California
- 2022 – The Thurgood Marshall Bar Association Awards Sheppard Mullin with its Community Organization of the Year Award for its pro bono work, commitment to diversity and inclusion along with demonstrated service to the community
- 2021 – American Bar Association Awards Sheppard Mullin 2021 Pro Bono Publico Award
- 2021 – National Legal Aid & Defender Association Honors Sheppard Mullin with its Beacon of Justice Award for pro bono work addressing systemic racial disparities
- 2021 – Veterans’ Legal Institute – “Lawyers for Warriors – Law Firm of the Year” for launching a pro bono partnership providing legal assistance to Veterans in need throughout Southern California
- 2021 – Washington Lawyer’s Committee Outstanding Achievement Award for our work ensuring voters in Virginia with disability have the right to vote privately
- 2020 - American Lawyer’s Tony Mauro Media Lawyer award for our work advocating for a string of wins in California courts in cases expanding access to police misconduct records
- 2020 - Thompson-Reuters Trust Law award for our work providing intellectual property advice to improve access to blood during medical procedures in Kenya
- 2020 - Washington Lawyer’s Committee Award for the successful representation of a family that was victim to a fraud scheme that threatened their home; and
- 2020 - ACLU’s Youth Justice Award for our work challenging the constitutionality of a “school to prison” pipeline program that discriminated against Black and Latinx youth
Notable Pro Bono Cases
We recently achieved two historic victories on behalf of New York City’s persons with disabilities that were featured in American Lawyer magazine.
Taxis for All Campaign v. Taxi & Limousine Commission (TLC)
As a result of the historic settlement in our case challenging the New York City taxicab fleet for not being wheelchair accessible, New York City has agreed to have the New York taxi fleet, which is currently only 1.8% accessible, become 50% accessible over the next six years. The case will transform the lives of tens of thousands of elderly and people with disabilities in New York City.
Brooklyn Center for Independence of the Disabled (BCID) et al. v. Mayor Bloomberg, et al.
Represented a class of 900,000 disabled residents of New York City. After trial, a federal judge issued a 119 page ruling that New York City discriminated against people with disabilities in its failure to plan for their needs in large scale disasters such as Hurricane Sandy.