By: Evan Johnson, Associate, Corporate
In January 2014, Fenwick & West was named to The National Law Journal’s Pro Bono Hot List. Among only 10 law firms in the United States to receive this recognition, Fenwick is honored for its exemplary commitment to providing pro bono services. Over the past five years, Fenwick attorneys and staff have logged nearly 50,000 pro bono hours valued at close to $20 million in legal fees.
“We’re honored to receive this esteemed recognition, especially among firms that are in some cases several times our size,” said partner Patrick Premo, chair of Fenwick’s Pro Bono Program. “Pro bono has always been a fundamental part of our culture here at Fenwick, and it’s been really rewarding to see our corporate and tax attorneys use their unique skill sets in areas where you don’t generally see pro bono support.”
The National Law Journal features Fenwick’s work on the 2013 merger of Shelter Network and InnVision the Way Home, one of the largest nonprofit mergers in U.S. history. The merger was led by corporate associate Gaurav Sud.
Said Sud of his experience, “I was motivated to take on the Shelter Network/InnVision nonprofitmerger because it represented a unique opportunity to use my M&A skill set in a completely different context. The transaction was challenging in that it questioned some of the most basic assumptions about the type of M&A work that forms the bulk of my practice – namely, the fact that there was no actual consideration changing hands in this transaction required us to be creative and take a problem-solving approach to transaction issues as they arose. Moreover, we were forced to engage with an unfamiliar regulatory framework with little precedent. Working on the transaction and my subsequent corporate work for the combined entity has been extremely fulfilling on a personal and professional level, as it has afforded me the ability to help, in a small way, with the admirable mission of combatting homelessness in the Bay Area. I have found that my pro bono clients are extraordinarily grateful for the guidance and similarly I have been extraordinarily grateful for the unique opportunity to share my experience with an organization that is working to create a solution to a truly pressing problem in our community.”
Tax associate Larissa Neumann’s nonprofit work is also pointed to as exemplary in the The National Law Journal profile. In 2013, she provided legal counsel to a wide array of organizations, including but not limited to San Francisco Mayor’s Committee for Employment of Persons with Disabilities; Rock Health; ChIPS (which supports and promotes women in intellectual property); Earth, Air and Space Educational Foundation; Recovery Café San Jose; Animal Legal Defense Fund; Kiva; Women in Health; and Ribbon of Hope.
“It is a pleasure to see that Fenwick has been recognized by the National Law Journal’s Pro Bono Hot List for the many ways our firm enriches and supports the Silicon Valley community,” said Neumann. “Fenwick has always been fully supportive of my pro bono efforts, allowing me to use my legal expertise to help non-profit organizations advance their charitable missions through the benefits of tax exempt status. Hearing the sincere expressions of gratitude from my pro bono clients has always been the most rewarding part of my pro bono work. I am truly grateful that Fenwick’s Pro Bono program has given me the opportunity to give back to my community in a meaningful and inspiring way.”
Evan, a graduate of Santa Clara University School of Law, is an associate in the Corporate practice group at Fenwick & West LLP. He focuses on start-up counseling, venture capital financings, mergers and acquisitions and other strategic transactions, including cross-border transactions, representing companies ranging from startups to large publicly-held companies in the networking, software, life sciences, gaming, internet, social media and semiconductor industries. Evan received the firm’s Pro Bono Client Services Award for 2011, awarded for his work with Cisco on the Citizens Schools Apprenticeship Program, which brings relevant learning experiences to middle-school students in lower-income neighborhoods.
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