Unified Giving is Working to Support Legal Aid

By Wilson M. Brown III, Senior Counsel at Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP and President of the Philadelphia Bar Foundation.

Since 2018, the Philadelphia Bar Foundation has taken a “Unified Giving” fundraising approach with law firms. This single, annual ask avoids the need for multiple and sometimes parallel requests for donations and sponsorships throughout the year. 

Thanks to the strong support of friends and sponsors of the Bar Foundation, it’s working.  The Foundation has been able, in each of the last four years, to provide substantial funding for nonprofits seeking equal justice under the law.  Even last year, despite its many challenges, the Foundation was able to release $394,675 in grants to our nonprofit partners, including over $250,000 in mid-year, emergency grants to agencies weathering the pandemic shutdown. Gifts from past supporters, as well as law firms new to the Unified Giving program, accounted for much of this support. We are deeply grateful to all who gave in 2020.

There is, however, much more to be done. Our nonprofit partners continue to deliver extraordinary services in the face of the pandemic. Through their efforts, some of our most needy neighbors — people who struggle to keep themselves, their families and others in distress fed, sheltered, in school, employed and out of danger — are being kept safe, secure and healthy. Our partners’ fight against broad-based injustice continues. The bedrock support from Foundation grants is important to sustain their missions.

Unified Giving also supports the Foundation’s efforts to foster collaboration and efficiencies in the delivery of legal services to those in need in Philadelphia. Although, because of the impact of the pandemic, the Foundation and its nonprofit partners could not proceed with the Equal Justice Center project at Eighth and Vine Streets, the Foundation continues to explore novel structures, systems and programs to better coordinate and sustain the delivery of nonprofit legal services in the City. 

Please consider standing united with us in this important mission for the Philadelphia nonprofit legal community by becoming a 2021 Unified Giving Partner.

The Philadelphia Bar Foundation would like to thank our 2020 Unified Giving Partners:
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
Ballard Spahr LLP
Barrack, Rodos & Bacine
Berger Montague PC
Blank Rome LLP
Boni, Zack & Snyder LLC
Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC
Cohen, Placitella & Roth, P.C.
Cozen O'Connor
Dechert LLP
Duane Morris LLP
Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
Fine, Kaplan and Black, R.P.C.
Flamm Walton Heimbach
Gay & Chacker
Gebhardt & Smith LLP
Hangley Aronchick Segal Pudlin & Schiller
Hausfeld LLP
Langer, Grogan & Diver P.C.
Levin, Sedran & Berman LLP
Littler Mendelson P.C.
Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin, P.C.
McCarter & English, LLP
McGlinchey Stafford PLLC
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
Plunkett Cooney, PC
Reed Smith LLP
Saltz Mongeluzzi & Bendesky P.C.
Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis LLP
Stevens & Lee
Weir & Partners LLP