PORTLAND, Maine – The Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project (ILAP) recently presented their 2008 Law Firm Pro Bono Award to Bernstein Shur. The award recognizes excellence in providing pro bono representation to asylum seekers and other non-citizens.
Bernstein Shur attorneys John H. "Jack" Montgomery, Frederick Lipp, and Lori Londis Dwyer are members of ILAP's Pro Bono Panel. As members of the panel, they handle asylum cases, certain defensive matters for those in removal proceedings, and complicated family reunification cases. Often these cases involve attaining asylum for people and families living under the threat of death in their native countries.
“We’re honored to receive the award, and I’m very proud of the pro bono work our attorneys have done for ILAP,” said Charles E. Miller, managing shareholder of Bernstein Shur. “We are committed to using our knowledge and skills to improve our communities through volunteer work and pro bono legal services.”
In addition, 2008 was the inaugural year for the Bernstein Shur Pro Bono Fellowship. The fellowship provided Bernstein Shur summer associates the opportunity to spend four weeks working for a legal service provider whose mission is to assure universal access to justice. Two summer associates chose to offer their pro bono work to ILAP.
"At ILAP, we are deeply grateful for Bernstein Shur's commitment to our clients," said Beth Stickney, executive director of ILAP. "Their work greatly expands our capacity, and truly changes and even saves the lives of those they represent."
About ILAP
ILAP is Maine’s only provider of immigration law information and legal assistance to low-income Maine residents who cannot afford private attorneys. Initiated in 1994 as a volunteer attorney project with extremely limited capacity, ILAP began its transformation into a staffed legal aid agency in 1999. Annually, ILAP now serves over 2200 individuals from approximately 100 different countries around the world.
About Bernstein Shur
Widely regarded as one of New England’s most entrepreneurial firms, Bernstein Shur is a multi-service law firm with more than 90 attorneys in offices in Maine and New Hampshire. Founded in 1915, the firm provides practical and innovative counsel in the areas of business law, litigation, and municipal law to clients throughout the region and around the world. Bernstein Shur is Maine's exclusive member of Lex Mundi, the world's leading association of independent law firms. More information is available at www.bernsteinshur.com.