Pro Bono and Community
"Shipman's firm-wide culture embodies the very ethos of pro bono public legal services. [Its lawyers] deeply understand that no case is too small and no client should be barred from the courthouse door because they lack the wherewithal to buy legal assistance."
Statewide Legal Services' Executive Director, presenting the Hartford County Bar Association's Pro Bono Award to Shipman
"All in the legal community know [Shipman's] well-deserved reputation for the highest quality legal services and high impact civic and community engagement."Greater Hartford Legal Aid's Executive Director, presenting its first ever Law Firm Leader Award to Shipman for "Outstanding Leadership and Investment in Justice"
We believe that all people, regardless of their economic status, should have equal access to legal representation. We are proud of the unwavering commitment we have made to providing pro bono legal services to those who are poor, underrepresented, or otherwise in need. Lawyers at all levels in our firm are encouraged to use their skills and experience for the benefit of the community and to find opportunities to help those who need our assistance the most. We staff and resource our pro bono matters with the same level of excellence and commitment that we bring to all our client work.
Our clients include families facing eviction, disabled veterans, abused and neglected children, immigrants escaping violence abroad, victims of domestic violence and non-profits serving the disadvantaged, the environment, the arts and other needs of our community. We work actively with legal aid organizations on a variety of projects, including recently Greater Hartford Legal Aid’s Pardon Clinic, the ACLU of Western Massachusetts’ Immigrant Protection Program, the CBA’s COVID-19 Small Business Virtual Legal Clinic, Hartford Public Library’s Naturalization Program, and Statewide Legal Services’ Family and Security Deposit Clinics. Our lawyers sit on the boards of local legal aid organizations and on the Connecticut Bar Association’s pro bono committee.
To learn more about our pro bono work, we invite you to read our most recent newsletter.
Pro Bono Awards and Activities
Many of our lawyers donate generously of their time to pro bono matters, so we'd like to take a moment to acknowledge some of the awards they and the firm have received, and some of the pro bono activities we have engaged in over the last few years:
Shipman & Goodwin LLP was honored in September of 2023 for its pro bono contributions to Lawyers for Children America (LFCA) at LFCA’s Gala. Lawyers for Children America is a leading child advocacy organization protecting the rights of children who are victims of abuse, abandonment and neglect by providing quality pro bono legal representation and collaborating for systematic change to improve the lives of children. Shipman lawyers have participated in pro bono work on behalf of the organization for 15 years. “It is a great honor to be recognized by Lawyers for Children America tonight,” said Kent Nevins, Chair of Shipman’s Management Committee, “but the real reward is in being able to give our time and talents to make significant contributions to the children of Connecticut who are struggling with a myriad of serious problems from which they need legal protection, including physical and emotional neglect and abuse."
Shipman & Goodwin LLP recognized three lawyers for their outstanding pro bono contributions and presented them with awards at the Lawyers’ Retreat which took place on September 14, 2022 at Goodwin University’s King Court Housing Complex in East Hartford. Vaughan Finn, Keegan Drenosky, and Sarah Westby were each awarded the inaugural Shipman Pro Bono Award, which included a $500 donation by the firm to a legal organization of each recipient’s choice. In 2023, the Shipman Pro Bono Award went to Joette Katz and Michael King for their substantial pro bono contributions.
Gwen J. Zittoun
Pro Bono Coordinator
Pro Bono Committee Members
Gregory P. Muccilli, Chair
Alison P. Baker
Elizabeth H. Buchanan
Pro Bono Newsletter Archives
