Giving to Honor Your Firm’s Culture

Later this month at their Ninth Annual My Hero Awards Luncheon, Lawyers Lend-a-Hand to Youth will honor Freeborn & Peters LLP as Law Firm Partnership of the Year.

In 2008, the midsize Chicago firm was in preliminary talks with a law school, looking to donate $100,000 in honor of the firm’s 25^th anniversary, when Kathryn Thomas, a partner at the firm, heard a presentation by Chicago Scholars. As Chicago Scholars President Karen Foley relayed in her nomination letter to LLAH, Thomas and her colleagues felt the organization “provided a unique opportunity for the firm to do something important for low income, first generation and underserved college bound youth and, by doing so, they would also be honoring the culture of their firm.” What a magnificent gift to bestow – and how amazing it must have felt to provide help to an organization whose efforts speak to the heart of what their firm stands for.

Additionally, Foley speaks to the value beyond the monetary gift, which is the relationship the organization has forged with Freeborn & Peters’ lawyers and staff over the past four years. The attorneys generously make time to mentor and inspire the scholars, passing on the power of a mentor’s belief, something that helped many of them grow into the successful lawyers they are today. The take-away message is that a firm doesn’t need to be huge to have a huge impact or make a difference. As Foley says of Freeborn & Peters, “They start by respecting the individual person – regardless of ethnicity or background – and everything they do is built from there.” What firm couldn’t be successful and make a difference if they took the same approach?

How does your firm honor its culture through generosity? Let us know so we can give you a cheer!