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Pro Bono Report (Spring 2011)

04.01.11
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Changing the Lives of "Missing Students"
When he was a high school student, Reid Saaris was placed in advanced-level courses. His best friend, a low-income student with similar academic abilities, was not. While his friend is still trying to make up for that lost opportunity, Reid has created a nonprofit aimed at increasing the enrollment figures of minorities in advanced classes.


Do Adult Entertainers Have a Right to Medical Privacy?
Should your career choice affect your right to maintain the privacy of your medical records? In a recent case involving an adult film actor, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) said "yes." Jennifer Brockett, a litigator in our Los Angeles office who is co-counsel for the actor with ACLU attorneys, explains: "The position Cal/OSHA is taking, and we’re strongly combating, is that there is no interest in the privacy of information about HIV testing."   


Twice Denied, Asylee Still Hopes for Refuge
Ricardo F. has been seeking asylum in the U.S. since 1998. He left his homeland, Chile, after being repeatedly targeted and abused for being gay. After two denials of asylum by the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) followed by appeals reversing the BIA’s decisions, Ricardo appears to be on the verge of being granted permanent residency. 


Helping Entrepreneurs Realize Their Dreams
Business incubators are busy these days, with thousands of people nationwide—either forced by the economic conditions or taking advantage of them—starting new businesses. One such organization, Washington CASH (Community Alliance for Self-Help), is doing something right—fully 95 percent of the startups it serves are still in business after their first 18 months. DWT is proud to contribute to these entrepreneurs' success by providing free legal assistance.


Protecting Access to Information: An Interview With Duffy Carolan
Duffy Carolan's career has taken her from writing a weekly dining column for a local paper to building a national reputation as a media lawyer and journalist's advocate. Her pro bono work for the Chauncey Bailey Project, which sought to uncover the truth about the murder of a journalist, has been recognized by numerous organizations. In this interview, Duffy talks about her commitment to pro bono work and the rewarding work she does daily for her clients.


Supreme Court Upholds First Amendment in Snyder v. Phelps
In a widely publicized and debated decision, the U.S. Supreme Court held that the First Amendment barred claims for intentional infliction of emotional distress and intrusion upon seclusion against the Westboro Baptist Church. “Despite very unpleasant facts, the Supreme Court overwhelmingly reaffirmed the important principle that speech does not lose First Amendment protection because it is outrageous or hurtful,” said DWT's Robert Corn-Revere.   


Short-Term Project Offers Lasting Rewards
While many of our pro bono efforts involve long-term work, some of our projects require a shorter commitment but nonetheless help people in need. Such is the case with the work we do for the Whitman-Walker Clinic in Washington, D.C., where one of our attorneys worked one-on-one with clients to help them enroll in Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage.


Bill Miner Receives DWT 2011 Heart of Justice Award
Bill Miner, an associate in our Portland office, received our 2011 firmwide pro bono award. Since joining DWT, Bill has assisted at least two dozen individual pro bono clients and has served on DWT's pro bono committee for three years, including a stint as the committee's vice chair.


Awards and Recognition
We are honored to report recent recognition from these organizations:

  • Legal Services for Children-San Francisco
  • Society of Professional Journalists, Northern California Chapter


Previous Editions

Winter 2010 
Midyear 2010 
Spring 2010 
December 2009 
Midyear 2009
First Quarter 2009

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