Goodwin Procter was named the winner of the 2010 Beacon of Justice Award by the National Legal Aid & Defender Association. The award honors law firms that have made significant contributions to pro bono representation in the area of immigration law.
Goodwin Procter was nominated for the award by Medical-Legal Partnership-Boston for its naturalization project, which provides legal assistance to families with permanent resident or “Green Card†status to become U.S. citizens. According to the firm, 25 Goodwin Procter attorneys have contributed more than 500 pro bono hours to the program, which was launched in 2009 in conjunction with MLP|Boston.
The program works like this: MLP | Boston screens individuals for eligibility for naturalization, selects cases with high potential for success and connects these individuals and families with Goodwin Procter lawyers. Â The firm’s volunteer attorneys then interview the clients, assist them in completing and filing the necessary immigration documents, and accompany them to interviews with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
NLADA was founded in 1911 and is one of the country’s oldest and largest nonprofit associations focused on delivering legal services to the poor. Goodwin Procter has offices in Boston, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Diego, San Francisco, Silicon Valley and Washington D.C.