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Williams & Connolly LLP has been recognized for its lawyers' significant commitment to pro bono. The firm partners with Maryland Public Defender's Offices to take criminal cases to trial and on appeal, and with the Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs to represent individuals seeking asylum in the United States. Since 2001, more than 90 Williams & Connolly LLP attorneys have handled trial-level felony cases through a pro bono partnership that the Montgomery County, Maryland Public Defender's Office has called an "amazing success."
Firms in DC wouldn't be able to do this since there is no local prosecutor in DC. The US Attorney's Office handles all local prosecution and would never be able to design a program like this that complies with federal ethics rules.Anonymous User wrote:Any firms in DC do this? I know several partner with nearby Maryland PDs. Anybody have the same arrangement with a local prosecutors' office?
Anon who posed question above. Right. I should have been more clear: I was curious whether anybody partners with a Maryland prosecutors' office. Like DC firms do with Maryland PDs. I'm sure the reasons you cite are why firms like W&C -- see post above -- and Covington reach into Maryland rather than partner up with the DC defenders.Anonymous User wrote:Firms in DC wouldn't be able to do this since there is no local prosecutor in DC. The US Attorney's Office handles all local prosecution and would never be able to design a program like this that complies with federal ethics rules.Anonymous User wrote:Any firms in DC do this? I know several partner with nearby Maryland PDs. Anybody have the same arrangement with a local prosecutors' office?
It's been a disaster in the Twin Cities, though it has little to do with malpractice. Prosecutors have immunity for the most part and can't be sued. Unfortunately this has resulted in the biglaw people practicing on the poors -- giving crappy plea offers just to force the defendant to go to trial. They lose a lot, and they get a ton of basic stuff wrong, too, like distinguishing civil from criminal discovery rules.Desert Fox wrote:I heard its a malpractice insurance disaster to try to do that pro bono coordination. I'd be interested in it though.
Then shouldn't the accused be happy about it?Tanicius wrote:It's been a disaster in the Twin Cities, though it has little to do with malpractice. Prosecutors have immunity for the most part and can't be sued. Unfortunately this has resulted in the biglaw people practicing on the poors -- giving crappy plea offers just to force the defendant to go to trial. They lose a lot, and they get a ton of basic stuff wrong, too, like distinguishing civil from criminal discovery rules.Desert Fox wrote:I heard its a malpractice insurance disaster to try to do that pro bono coordination. I'd be interested in it though.
Not when going to trial means their case remains unresolved and they're in jail, or going to court for three days means losing their job and/or paying out the nose for child support, or, you know, losing and being exposed to a trial verdict sentence.Bildungsroman wrote:Then shouldn't the accused be happy about it?Tanicius wrote:It's been a disaster in the Twin Cities, though it has little to do with malpractice. Prosecutors have immunity for the most part and can't be sued. Unfortunately this has resulted in the biglaw people practicing on the poors -- giving crappy plea offers just to force the defendant to go to trial. They lose a lot, and they get a ton of basic stuff wrong, too, like distinguishing civil from criminal discovery rules.Desert Fox wrote:I heard its a malpractice insurance disaster to try to do that pro bono coordination. I'd be interested in it though.
They still do it.JusticeJackson wrote:I'm sure that ADAs with 50k salaries love that.
When I interviewed at Goodwin Proctor, one of the interviewers told me Goodwin did the same thing. Maybe they still do.