Continuing Foley Hoag LLP’s
longstanding commitment to pro bono work, partner Lisa Wood
has been named to the Legal Services Corporation Board of Directors’ Pro Bono
Task Force.
The task force will help develop additional resources to assist low-income
Americans facing foreclosure, domestic violence and other civil legal problems.
Wood joins a group drawn from the judiciary, corporations, private practice and
the legal-aid community.
“The Task Force’s work is of critical importance,” said John G. Levi,
chairman of the LSC Board of Directors. “Studies have found that only a small
fraction of low-income Americans receive the help of a lawyer in addressing
their civil legal problems, and increasingly individuals are having to handle
their legal matters on their own.”
Foley Hoag partner Claire Laporte, coordinator of the firm’s pro bono
program, added, “Lisa has been a steadfast supporter of Foley Hoag's pro bono
program, which is a cornerstone of our firm's culture. I congratulate her on
this appointment.”
Wood is a litigation partner with more than 27 years of experience handling
complex business litigation, principally in the areas of securities fraud,
accountants liability and antitrust. She also has devoted her volunteer life to
access-to-justice issues. Currently she is a member of the American Bar
Association’s Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defendants, serves on
the board of the Volunteer Lawyers Project in Boston, and serves as the chair of
the Massachusetts IOLTA Committee. In the past, she has held many other
leadership positions within the Boston Bar Association and the ABA.
“The rule of law is one of the keystones of our democracy, but its promise is
illusory if we do not assure access to justice for all our citizens,” Wood said.
“Foley Hoag has a rich tradition of giving back to the community and providing
legal support to those who need a voice in our judicial system, and I look
forward to continuing that commitment through the LSC’s Pro Bono Task
Force.”
In a typical year, Foley Hoag lawyers handle approximately 100 pro bono
matters and contribute nearly 23,000 hours to the pro bono program. The American
Lawyer ranked the firm No. 8 out of the nation’s top 200 law firms in the
magazine’s 2011 pro bono report.
Key areas that Foley Hoag lawyers serve on a pro bono basis include domestic
violence, gay and lesbian rights, housing, environmental protection, disability
rights, healthcare, prisoners’ rights, voting rights, immigration and political
asylum, taxation, education and charter schools, transactional and corporate
advice to nonprofit organizations and small for-profit businesses providing
services to inner-city communities, advice to artists (including First Amendment
protection), and domestic and international intellectual property
protection.
Established in 1974 as an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, LSC
receives an annual appropriation from Congress to promote equal access to
justice and to provide for the delivery of high-quality civil legal assistance
to low-income individuals and families. Approximately 95 percent of the
appropriation is distributed as grants to 136 independent nonprofit legal aid
programs in every state, the District of Columbia and the U.S. territories.
About Foley Hoag LLP
Foley Hoag is a dynamic law firm that represents public and private clients
in a wide range of disputes and transactions worldwide. We have expertise in
industries such as life sciences and healthcare, technology, energy and
renewables, investment management, and professional services. We also offer our
clients market-leading international litigation and arbitration and corporate
social responsibility services. From our offices in Boston, Washington, D.C. and
Paris, and our Emerging Enterprise Center in Waltham, Massachusetts, we provide
strategic legal advice that is tailored to each of our clients' unique goals.
Foley Hoag combines powerful regional, national and international practices that
share a common emphasis on client service. We are focused on what we do best:
helping our clients succeed through the delivery of exceptional legal service.
For more information, visit www.foleyhoag.com.