Awards

Annual Pro Bono Service Awards

The James A. Treanor III Pro Bono Service Award, first given in 2001, is awarded annually to Dow Lohnes associates who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to providing pro bono legal services to a client (or clients) in need.

The award is named after Jim Treanor, who served as Chairman of the Dow Lohnes Pro Bono Committee from 1991 until 2002. Jim served as a member of the board of directors of Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights & Urban Affairs from 1990 through 2001. He is a founding board member of SHARE D.C., Inc., a community service and food distribution organization and he has been a member of the Advisory Board of the Archdiocesan Legal Network since 1990. In April 2002, Jim received the Catholic Charities Caritas Advocacy Award.

Recipients are awarded in December of each year. The 2008 Winner of The James A. Treanor III Pro Bono Service Award is Lynn Deavers.

Human Rights First

In 2004, 90 refugees were granted asylum through the efforts of volunteer attorneys working with the Asylum Legal Representation Program of Human Rights First. Pro bono attorneys in the Washington, DC area helped to win asylum for 20 of these refugees' who come from countries including Sudan, Columbia, Ivory Coast, Tibet, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Dow Lohnes was among the law firms and individual attorneys who successfully achieved asylum for their clients.

Archdiocesan Legal Network

Jim Treanor and Dow Lohnes have been honored by the Archdiocesan Legal Network and the John Carroll Society at a brunch after the traditional Red Mass. Since 1953, the Red Mass has been celebrated annually in Washington, DC on the Sunday before the first Monday in October, to coincide with the new term of the Supreme Court of the United States. Judges, lawyers, diplomats, government officials and people of all faiths attend the Mass to invoke God's blessing and guidance on the administration of justice.

Generous Associates "Giving for Justice" Campaign

The annual Generous Associates Campaign gives law firms the opportunity to support those who work as staff attorneys at The Legal Aid Society of DC. The campaign challenges firms throughout the area to help ensure equal access to justice.

Since the founding of the Legal Aid Society, Dow Lohnes has had a representative on the organization's Board of Directors and we continue to play an active role in the Legal Aid Society through fundraising and our pro bono efforts. Joyce Gwadz continues our tradition of service as our current member serving on the Legal Aid Society Board of Directors.

The Legal Aid Society counsels low income clients in child custody, child support, and child visitation disputes as well as landlord/tenant disputes and simple civil litigation. To learn more about the Legal Aid Society and the Generous Associates Campaign, visit www.legalaiddc.org.