Meet Our Senior Manager, Pro Bono

Please introduce yourself. How long have you worked at Loeb?

My name is Meredith Madnick, and I have worked at Loeb & Loeb for three and a half years. I initially joined the firm as diversity and pro bono manager, splitting my time supporting both causes, but I recently transitioned to a full-time pro bono role that allows me to dedicate more of my time to facilitating Loeb’s pro bono efforts. 

My role as senior manager, pro bono, is to be a resource connecting our lawyers and staff with pro bono work that fits their strengths and interests. There are so many in need of pro bono assistance, but it can be tricky sometimes to find the right fit for our lawyers. I work with the lawyers to determine what types of projects would work best for them based on their availability, skill sets and areas of interest. With that information, I can then match them with people who need legal assistance. It can be similar to completing a puzzle, and I find it really satisfying when those pieces fit together.

Tell us about Loeb’s pro bono program. What types of organizations does the firm support?

Our pro bono program supports a wide array of organizations across a broad spectrum of causes. We have more than 200 active pro bono matters, with lawyers from all offices and of all seniorities participating. As a sampling of our matters, our lawyers help families with foster care adoptions, facilitate criminal record expungements, reunite families separated at the border, guide unaccompanied minors and adults through the yearslong asylum process, advocate for veterans processing disability claims, and secure legal name changes for transgender, gender nonconforming and nonbinary individuals. We also advise artists and nonprofits in the creative arts space as well as low-income entrepreneurs, many of whom are women and people of color who are navigating the process of starting a new business. This is a small glimpse of the work we do. No matter what your cause is, there is pro bono work for you to get involved with.

Not only do our lawyers work directly with our partner organizations, we often work with clients on a variety of pro bono matters, such as legal clinics and days of service. If you’re interested in partnering with Loeb, please reach out to me.

Why is pro bono work so important?

Pro bono is access to justice. There are so many people around the world—millions, really—who cannot afford legal representation, and even starting in our local communities can make a tremendous impact. Lawyers from every practice group have the ability to make a real, immediate change in someone’s life, whether it’s through pro bono directly related to their day-to-day practice or a bit outside their comfort zone. The current state of the world can at times feel overwhelming, but lawyers have the unique ability to be a part of changing society for the better through pro bono work. Whether it’s a large-scale nonpartisan effort to help voters know their rights or a small-scale victory of helping an elderly woman with the forced sale of her family home, no cause is too big or too small. Our lawyers are involved with organizations across the country that are providing services to those in need and make a real difference in people’s lives.