Loeb In The Community

One of the most powerful ways we express our “we’re all connected” philosophy is through meaningful service in the communities where we live and work. Below are highlights of some of our recent pro bono initiatives and activities.

The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law Election Protection Program

The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is a civil rights organization founded in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy with the mission to secure equal justice for all through the rule of law. The organization has a national, nonpartisan Election Protection coalition that works year-round to ensure that all voters have an equal opportunity to vote and have that vote count. As part of their work, a Legal Rapid Response Network was formed with the purpose of ensuring capacity to quickly respond to and address voting rights issues as they arose on and around Election Day. Eight Loeb lawyers volunteered to provide assistance as needed in New York, California and Virginia.

Loeb Works to Secure Release of ICE Detainees

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Southern California filed a class action lawsuit to demand a drastic reduction in the number of detainees at the Adelanto Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Processing Center in Adelanto, California. Conditions at Adelanto made it impossible for detainees to take appropriate safety precautions, including social distancing, to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The court granted the ACLU’s preliminary injunction and, among other things, provided a bail application process for detainees to apply for release. There are nearly 1,000 immigrant detainees at Adelanto. While the merits of the case continue to be litigated, this is the only process the ACLU has to fight for detainees to be released and to prevent unnecessary deaths.

In July, Loeb lawyers signed up to partner with the ACLU to secure the release of immigrants from Adelanto’s ICE facility due to COVID-19. Loeb lawyers have filed several bail applications and replies, and have secured releases for five pro bono clients to date. 

To learn more about the ACLU of Southern California, please click here.

Pro Bono Assistance in Illinois 

Loeb lawyers have recently worked with two local Illinois legal service providers, Legal Aid Chicago and Prairie State Legal Services, to provide pro bono assistance in areas related to food insecurity and homelessness. Legal Aid Chicago is a nonprofit organization that provides free legal assistance in civil cases to people living in Chicago and suburban Cook County. Loeb lawyers are partnering with Legal Aid Chicago to help people access Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, addressing the pervasive issue of food insecurity. Partnering with Prairie State Legal Services, Loeb lawyers are trained and ready to help with its Pandemic Eviction Project, assisting those who may face homelessness in Illinois once the moratorium is lifted.

To learn more about Legal Aid Chicago, please click here, and for more on Prairie State Legal Services, please click here.

Western Justice Center

The Western Justice Center (WJC) is a nonprofit organization that empowers people to strengthen their communities by growing the conflict resolution skills and capacity of youth, educators, schools and community partners. Loeb has a team of seven lawyers helping the WJC with its student disciplinary records reform, working on a pilot program for a middle school that can serve as a model for statewide reform. This work is done in partnership with Elissa Barrett, who is the executive director of the WJC and a Loeb alumni.

To learn more about the WJC, please click here.

We are always looking to partner with our alumni on pro bono matters. If interested, please contact Meredith Madnick, Diversity & Pro Bono manager.