Holland & Knight Donates $100,000 to Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
MIAMI (September 3, 2020) – Holland & Knight Managing Partner Steven Sonberg announced that the firm has donated $100,000 to the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, a national civil-rights organization that works to advance civil rights and confront racial injustice faced by African Americans and other minority groups.
"We are seeing the beginnings of a racial-justice movement that is unlike any other moment in our nation's history," said Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. "We are incredibly grateful to Holland & Knight for its tremendous leadership and generosity that allow us to keep fighting on the frontlines and work to redress systemic racism."
Holland & Knight has a long-standing relationship with the Lawyers' Committee and contributed more than 1,300 pro bono hours to the organization in 2019. The firm has worked on a number of matters for the Lawyers' Committee over the years, including in the areas of criminal justice, voting rights, and aid to indigent people.
"The Lawyers' Committee is doing incredible work on some of the most critical issues of our time," said Paul J. Kiernan, chair of Holland & Knight's Public and Charitable Service Department and Lawyers' Committee board member. "As lawyers, we each have a unique opportunity and an important obligation to advance economic justice, criminal justice, and the civil rights of all Americans. We are proud to stand beside the Lawyers' Committee in its mission and excited about the possibilities for progress."
The Lawyers' Committee is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that was formed in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy to involve the private bar in providing legal services to address racial discrimination. Now in its 57th year, the Lawyers' Committee is continuing its quest to "Move America Toward Justice." The principal mission of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is to secure, through the rule of law, equal justice for all, particularly in the areas of criminal justice, fair housing and community development, economic justice, educational opportunities, and voting rights.