Kirkland & Ellis: 20 Years of Outstanding Pro Bono Commitment to EFE

Pictured from Kirkland & Ellis LLP (left to right): David Bernick, Michael Parks, Tom Kuhns, Vicki Hood, Alex Dimitrief, Donna Welch

FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS, the Chicago-based law firm Kirkland & Ellis (Kirkland) has provided pro bono services to Equip for Equality, greatly expanding the organization's capacity to advance disability rights in Illinois. Kirkland is a world-renowned law firm employing more than 1,000 attorneys in offices in seven cites and three countries. As a leader in Chicago's legal community, Kirkland's support of free legal aid and advocacy as well as its commitment to disability issues is invaluable both materially and as a message to peers of the importance of Equip for Equality's mission.

In the 1980s, Kirkland helped remove Equip for Equality (then known as Protection and Advocacy, Inc) from state government and restructure it as an independent nonprofit organization. That independence has been critical to Equip for Equality's success in advocating for individuals with disabilities throughout Illinois, especially in systemic issues that involve state agencies.

"True and effective advocacy for any disenfranchised population must stand on a foundation of independence and authority," says Tom Kuhns, a partner at Kirkland & Ellis. "Kirkland recognizes that Equip for Equality meets and exceeds these two criteria, and we are honored to have played such an essential role in the organization's development."

Over the years, Kirkland attorneys have provided Equip for Equality with legal advice and consultation in the area of human resources, including in the review of personnel manuals and employment policies. Kirkland attorneys have also provided valuable legal services on tax matters, attorney ethics questions, and insurance issues. Equip for Equality's ability to affordably occupy offices at 20 N. Michigan are due in part to services from Kirkland's real estate attorneys, who ably reviewed the proposed lease and assisted in-house counsel in negotiating final terms.

Kirkland has also provided Equip for Equality with high quality and dedicated litigation assistance, both as counsel for Equip for Equality and most recently as pro bono co-counsel. Currently, as noted in the community integration article on page one, Kirkland is serving as pro bono co-counsel in a class-action case in federal court seeking to address the unjustified institutionalization of people with mental illness living in "Institutions for Mental Disease," which are large private statefunded nursing homes for people with mental illness. Kirkland has dedicated significant resources and staff to this important case, including the time of Kirkland partner Donna Welch and associates Joseph Russell, Ann Chen and Tana Ryan.

"The pro bono work of Kirkland & Ellis has been a tremendous asset to the IMD case and furthers Equip for Equality's broader goal of increasing community integration opportunities for people with disabilities in Illinois," says Barry Taylor, Legal Advocacy Director at Equip for Equality. "Kirkland's pro bono work on this case is an example for other law firms to follow."

Last, but certainly not least, Equip for Equality's board chair, Michael Parks, and board member Seth Traxler, are Kirkland partners. "Their roles on Equip for Equality's governing body has been invaluable," says Zena Naiditch, President and CEO of Equip for Equality. "Both Michael and Seth have provided not only much-needed opinions on various legal matters, but have shown an incisive grasp of the strategic factors involved with disability advocacy and have put tremendous work into our fundraising efforts. We have been truly impressed with the high caliber of expertise and commitment that Kirkland & Ellis' attorneys bring to our organization and mission."

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