Kilpatrick Stockton receives 2006 Pro Bono Law Firm of the Year Award
Kilpatrick Stockton, LLP, recently received the 2006 Pro Bono Law Firm of the Year award, instituted by The Pro Bono Project in New Orleans.
The firm received this award at the organization's Volunteer Appreciation Reception for donating several hundred hours of assistance and legal expertise for Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. The firm's employees donated about $76,000 time's worth in clearing titles on properties for clients. They also assisted these clients in receiving FEMA awards for housing assistance or insurance money.
Led by the firm's Pro Bono Partner, Debbie Segal, the firm created an infrastructure to help out-of-state volunteers offer their legal skills. The firm's associates - Jasa Gitomer, Daniel Fishbein, Lauren Estrin, and Avril McKean Dieser - helped in training, managing, and supervising a group of law students from the University of North Carolina volunteering for the Project. The firm's paralegals, Betsy Hale and Katie Nowell, helped the organization by entering records generated by the law students into the Project's database.
Bjerke joins Heller Ehrman as a shareholder
Before joining Heller Ehrman, Bjerke worked with Seattle-based Riddell Williams for 29 years. During his career, Bjerke has made his mark as a pro in the areas of hospitality and mergers & acquisitions. Bjerke's clients include companies such as Starbucks Corporation, Puget Sound Energy, Coast Hotels (USA) LLC, and Security Properties, among others.
Bjerke's major concern about the move was whether the new firm would offer the broader range of legal services his clients needed. He decided in favor of Heller Ehrman after taking his clients into confidence and satisfying himself about the culture and resources of the new firm.
Two other Riddell Williams lawyers, Matthew D. Le Master and Donna M. Cochener, have also joined Heller Ehrman as special counsel and associate, respectively. More than 700 attorneys and professionals work in Heller Ehrman's 12 offices worldwide.
