ACCA-SoCal Partnership Soaring to New Levels

Public Counsel’s partnership with the Association of Corporate Counsel of Southern California Chapter (ACCA-SoCal), established to increase pro bono opportunities for corporate counsel and raise funds to support free legal services for the most vulnerable members of our community, continues growing to new levels.  This year, nearly $40,000 was raised by the silent auction at ACCA-SoCal’s 12th Annual Gala Dinner and Pro Bono Silent Auction.  Public Counsel board member and DIRECTV Associate General Counsel, Christopher A. Murphy, was honored with the Pro Bono Corporate Counsel of the Year Award, which comes with a $10,000 donation from ACCA-SoCal.  Murphy selected Public Counsel as the recipient. 

This remarkable partnership continues growing with more and more corporate counsel becoming involved in a variety of transactional and litigation pro bono matters.  “At our October training, we trained ACCA-SoCal members from Los Angeles, El Segundo, La Palma and Irvine for our upcoming Adoption Day,” said Public Counsel Senior Staff Attorney Karen Ullman. “At first, everyone’s nervous about handling an adoption matter.  Then everyone realizes what a great experience it is to be able to be a part of helping create a new family.”  This year, the adoption program celebrates its 10th anniversary and having completed over 6,000 adoptions.  

ACCA-SoCal board member and Vice President, Business and Legal Affairs for Sony Connect, Ajay Patel, who played a key role in establishing and helping to grow this pro bono partnership with Public Counsel, observed, “Public Counsel helps our members make a great pro bono connection. They make pro bono easy by providing complete training and support for their volunteer attorneys, and they have a variety of pro bono matters to choose from‑‑adoptions, assisting nonprofits with legal matters, helping homeless families and adults and more.  They are a tremendous resource.”

For more information about volunteering with Public Counsel, contact Pro Bono Director Ted Zepeda at (213) 385-2977 ext. 125 or tzepeda@publiccounsel.org.  Ask to be added to the “Top Ten” email list of Public Counsel pro bono matters.  Click here to download the November “Top Ten” list. 

Dan Grunfeld, Christopher A. Murphy and Jonathan L. Block

ACCA-SoCal board members at Public Counsel’s 2007 William O. Douglas Award Dinner honoring Dr. Madeleine K. Albright.