National Legal Aid & Defender Association Recognizes O’Melveny with Beacon of Justice Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LOS ANGELES—June 21, 2021—O’Melveny has once again been named a recipient of the National Legal Aid & Defender Association’s Beacon of Justice Award, which recognizes law firms for their pro bono work to promote equal justice. This year’s recipients were honored for their efforts to address systemic racial disparities in 2020.

Jo-Ann Wallace, NLADA president and CEO, hailed the firms as “vital partners in the NLADA community’s endeavor to dismantle racial inequities and injustices.” She added, “We look forward to our continued collaboration to eliminate systemic racism in our nation.”

O’Melveny was recognized for its wide-ranging campaign to advance racial and social justice, including litigating cases combatting egregious election-law violations and some of the most regressive elements of the criminal-justice system, as well as representing individuals arrested during last year’s Black Lives Matter protests.

“We are humbled to receive the 2021 Beacon of Justice Award for our efforts to advance racial equity,” said Brett Williamson, O’Melveny’s firmwide partner in charge of pro bono and chair of its Community Legal Services Committee. “Following the murder of George Floyd, O’Melveny pledged to redouble our longstanding commitment to dismantling systemic racism. We are proud of what we have accomplished, but know there is more work to do. We will continue to identify and take concrete action to fight social injustice.”

In addition to issues of racial justice, O’Melveny’s pro bono program tackles the most critical issues of our time, from housing to women’s rights and veterans’ affairs, from criminal justice and equitable education to protecting civil rights and building community.

To learn more about O’Melveny’s award-winning pro bono program, visit our pro bono page or download our most recent pro bono program review.

NLADA leads a community of advocates to advance justice and expand opportunity for all by promoting excellence in the delivery of legal services for people who cannot afford counsel.

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