){kind=logo}
As the leaves turned, Loeb & Loeb collaborated with like-minded clients and nonprofits to provide pro bono legal services for those in need and to amplify voices that might otherwise go unheard in the legal system.
In October, in recognition of the American Bar Association’s (ABA’s) 2024 National Celebration of Pro Bono—a weeklong event held annually in late October to inspire communities to provide pro bono legal services—Loeb organized several pro bono initiatives. These included helping individuals with prior convictions navigate the record-clearing process and providing essential legal support to members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Below is a snapshot of our fall 2024 pro bono initiatives.
Loeb Partners with City National Bank and LAFLA to Help Downtown LA Residents
On Dec. 18, a team of firm lawyers collaborated with in-house counsel from City National Bank, a firm client, to volunteer at a legal clinic hosted by the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA) in Skid Row. Located in downtown Los Angeles, Skid Row spans 50 blocks and is home to a large population experiencing homelessness and poverty. LAFLA’s bi-weekly clinic offers critical legal guidance on residential tenancy issues and other matters affecting low-income residents, many of whom face significant barriers to accessing legal support.
At the clinic, pro bono lawyers met with clients to offer guidance on landlord-tenant housing issues. The Loeb and City National Bank volunteers provided support on a range of legal matters, including housing disputes, anti-tenant harassment complaints, evictions, and other challenges related to housing and homelessness.
A special thank you to Lance Jurich, chair of the Restructuring & Bankruptcy department, for coordinating the clinic. The Loeb pro bono team included senior counsel Jill Jones and associates Manish Antani, Shauna Bendinelli and Madi Sand.
Loeb Collaborates with Gap and Comcast to Support the Veterans Assistance Project
Loeb launched a new batch of cases on Nov. 21 for the firm’s pro bono partnership with the Veterans Assistance Project alongside in-house counsel from clients Gap and Comcast. The Veterans Assistance Project provides legal advice, advocacy and representation to veterans who are experiencing poverty and facing other systemic barriers to their claims for benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Three teams of Loeb, Gap and Comcast volunteers are collaborating to assist veteran clients with navigating disability claims and appeals. The team members received a training from the Veterans Assistance Project on Veteran’s Day, Nov. 11.
Senior counsel Scott Wilcox led this initiative and supported each team, along with associate Todd Densen and paralegal Diane Harris. In addition to Scott, Todd and Diane, the pro bono team included partners Andy Arsiotis, Norwood Beveridge and Henry Zangara; senior counsel Emily Rakowicz; associates Manish Antani, Simoné Hovsepian, Vivienne LaBorde, Ryan Raccuia, Simona Papazian and Ben Sandlin; and paralegals Patrycja Makles-Chuchro and Mariana Nielson.
Loeb Assists Voters Through Election Protection Hotline
Between August and Election Day in early November, 16 Loeb lawyers dedicated a combined 220 hours to the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law’s nonpartisan Election Protection Hotline. They provided critical assistance to callers with questions about voting, including deadlines, absentee and mail-in voting, and in-person early voting and Election Day voting.
Loeb Hosts Wounded Warrior Project Speaker in Support of Veterans
On Oct. 30, Loeb welcomed Jennifer Jenkins—an award-winning author, veteran caregiver and spokesperson for the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP)—as a guest speaker to share her story and insights about WWP's impactful work. Founded in 2003, WWP is committed to honoring and empowering veterans injured or disabled during active duty. The organization offers a comprehensive range of services, including mental health support, long-term rehabilitative care, financial and career counseling, and advocacy. Jennifer shared how WWP personally supported her as the caregiver for her brother, connecting her with a dedicated team and a program that allows her brother to live independently while receiving the care he needs.
During the discussion, Jennifer shared her journey as a caregiver, highlighting the challenges she encountered in securing vital assistance and protections for veterans, and the transformative impact WWP had on her experience. The program began with an introduction by Raymond Sanseverino, co-chair of Loeb’s Real Estate department, and concluded with a Q&A session moderated by senior counsel Emily Rakowicz.
This program aligned with the firm’s ongoing pro bono initiatives supporting veterans, including the Veterans Assistance Project training with the City Bar Justice Center on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, and the follow-up Veterans Assistance Project clinic on Nov. 21.
Loeb’s ACED-LA Hosts Expungement Clinic for Individuals with Prior Convictions
In celebration of the ABA’s 2024 National Celebration of Pro Bono, Loeb’s Attorneys of Color and Ethnic Diversity (ACED)-LA affinity group, which focuses on supporting the recruitment, retention and development of lawyers of color at the firm, hosted an in-person Expungement Clinic with ICLS on Oct. 23. The clinic supports individuals with prior convictions in navigating the record-clearing process, helping to ensure that past mistakes don’t restrict future opportunities, including access to housing, employment and professional licensure.
The clinic began with a training session led by ICLS staff, including Loeb alumnus (and former ACED-LA member) Matt Kugizaki and staff attorney Tatiana Owens, after which pairs of pro bono volunteers conducted intake interviews with prospective clients to screen for eligibility, gather necessary information and provide guidance on next steps. Five teams, comprising nine Loeb lawyers, are moving forward to assist five clients.
ACED-LA Co-Chairs Safia Gray Hussain, Elizabeth Camacho and Manish Antani led the clinic, joined by partners Jorge Arciniega, Ann Chen, Brandon Cherry and Connie Pak, and associates Ryan Kashfian and Simoné Hovsepian.
Loeb Partners with Inland Counties Legal Services to Support LGBTQIA+ Communities
On Oct. 17, Loeb hosted its fifth advance health care directive (AHCD) pro bono legal clinic for four LGBTQIA+ individuals who are clients of ICLS, a nonprofit legal aid organization providing free legal services to people of limited financial means in Riverside and San Bernardino counties in California. An AHCD outlines medical preferences and designates someone to make medical decisions when a person loses the ability to communicate or make them on their own. For the LGBTQIA+ community, it can document an individual’s gender identity and expression—from the pronouns they use to any dead names to avoid—and make sure they have the right people making decisions for them.
During the consultations with the four clients, the pro bono lawyers offered guidance on AHCDs, emphasizing their importance in relation to gender identity. In addition, the volunteers counseled the clients on selecting an agent for their AHCD and aided in preparing the necessary documents.
Loeb’s pro bono team included partners Leah Bishop and Danielle Miller, senior counsel Sasha Bass, associate Manish Antani and Loeb alumna Meredith Siller.
Loeb Teams Up with Morgan Stanley and HIAS to Support Refugees
Eighteen Loeb volunteers teamed up with 15 lawyers from firm client Morgan Stanley on Sept. 26 to kick off a virtual pro bono clinic focused on adjustment of status applications. This process allows individuals to apply for lawful permanent resident status in the U.S. (the process by which individuals receive their green card). The ongoing clinic will support 11 refugees from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan, all clients of HIAS, a Jewish humanitarian organization founded in 1881 that aids refugees, asylum seekers and other displaced people globally.
The virtual clinic kicked off with a CLE training led by HIAS about applying for Adjustment of Status, followed by initial team meetings. A total of 10 pro bono teams are moving forward, and each team is expected to spend 10-15 hours over a few months to prepare the adjustment of status applications for the 11 clients.
The firm’s pro bono participants included partners Amir Azaran, Peter Beardsley, Jim Taylor and Nicole Webb; senior counsel Dinh Doan, Rich Facundo and Andy Smith; associates Marina Ahmad, Chanda Marlowe, Nate Minott, Madi Sand, Medha Sridhar and Erica Yang; and paralegals Shu Crittenden, Meka Morgan, Mariana Nielson, Brandi White and Anna Yeltchev.