Our Commitment
Our Involvement
Our Support
Pro Bono
Stradley Ronon attorneys and staff strongly believe in giving back to the communities in which we work and live.
Our Commitment . . .
Through our SEED Program, we support nonprofit organizations that empower children and young adults to grow by:
• enriching Spirit
• building self-Esteem
• providing sound Education
• creating achievable Dreams
The SEED Program helps fund the efforts of:
• Philadelphia Academies, Inc. – Dedicated to enhancing Philadelphia high school students’ academic and occupational skills and broadening their in-school and post-graduation options, this nonprofit organization’s 13 career programs serve 7,200 students in more than 29 high schools. Philadelphia Academies offers numerous career-incentive activities including guest-speaker presentations, field trips and internships with city, federal and legal institutions – all to prepare students for entrance into the workforce.
• Bridges Program – This nonprofit group helps Philadelphia inner-city high school students in their senior year prepare to enter the workforce. Participating law firms train Bridges students during an intense summer internship that provides them with the technology and professional skills needed to gain full-time employment. Most Bridges students receive an offer of full-time employment from the law firm they intern with after they successfully complete the program.
In addition to Stradley Ronon’s SEED Program, Stradley Ronon has been recognized by the Philadelphia Bar Association for our commitment and service to its Philadelphia Volunteers for the Indigent program. In fact, the program was founded by one of our partners, Bennett Picker, during his year as chancellor of the bar.
Stradley Ronon has also launched a pro bono program for the families of the Gesu School. Once a month, Stradley attorneys volunteer their time to provide free legal advice, answer questions and make referrals to other attorneys.
Furthermore, the firm is taking part in the Philadelphia Bar Association’s commitment to raise $1.5 million for its Raising the Bar Campaign. Stradley Ronon also sponsors the Bar’s Community Legal Services’ 2006 Campaign, which helps low-income Philadelphia residents obtain equal access to justice by providing them with advice and representation in civil legal matters.
Our Involvement . . .
• Chairman William Sasso is a widely recognized community leader in the Delaware Valley. He is particularly active in charitable activities in the areas of education and health care, including serving as trustee of the Leo Niessen Jr. Charitable Foundation, which benefits inner-city youth and working women in need, and was appointed by Philadelphia Mayor John F. Street as a member of the Children’s Commission Advisory Committee. Mr. Sasso received the American Jewish Committee’s 2006 Judge Learned Hand Award, presented each year to a member of the Philadelphia Bar whose achievements exemplify the high principles and noble traditions associated with Judge Learned Hand. The Archdiocesan Office for Youth and Young Adults also honored our chairman for his service to this youth in the Greater Philadelphia area.
• Partner Linda Galante is actively involved in and serves on the board of Project Rainbow, a transitional housing program that provides supportive services to homeless women and their children. She served as its chair for 12 years and was the recipient of its fifth anniversary’s Person of the Year Award. In 1997, Ms. Galante was honored by the Dreuding Center/Project Rainbow with the naming of the “Galante Career Development Center.” She was recently interviewed by The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel on her continued dedication to Project Rainbow. Additionally, she received the 2007 Summit Award which is bestowed annually by the Learning for Life program, an affiliate of the Cradle of Liberty Council Boy Scouts of America, and recognizes an individual who signifies the qualities associated with the program, including vision, determination, independence and creativity.
• Partner Danielle Banks was honored with the Temple Law Alumni Association’s Len Barrack ’68 Alumni Achievement Award in recognition of her accomplishments in the legal community. Ms. Banks is an active board member for several nonprofits that serve different segments of the community including: the SeniorLAW Center, a public interest law center that protects the legal rights and interests of the elderly in the Pennsylvania area, providing free legal services, community legal education, professional training, advice, information and referral services, and advocacy; Smith Memorial Playground and Playhouse, a 100-year old historic landmark that provides safe play for inner city children in Fairmount Park; and the Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia, which takes on precedent setting civil rights litigation.
• Partner André Dennis received the First Union Fidelity Award in recognition of his continuous commitment to the legal profession through his founding of, and ongoing involvement in, a number of public-interest initiatives, as well as his steadfast representation of many under represented people and unpopular causes.
• Partner Andrew Levine was honored for his outstanding service to the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Environmental, Mineral & Natural Resources Law Section’s Pro Bono Program, which he helped form.
• Partner Joseph McHale is chair of the Eagles Fly for Leukemia – a foundation that has raised millions of dollars for area pediatric centers and facilities with the ultimate goal of abolishing childhood cancers and enhancing the lives of children in our community.
• Partner Bennett Picker is co-founder of Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts, which serves as a resource to the public, public interest organizations, reporters, policy makers and academics about the courts through educational forums, classroom appearances, direct communications and the publication of “citizen guides.” In addition, Mr. Picker also co-founded the Philadelphia Bar Association's pro bono program. In honor of his contributions to both, Mr. Picker received award citations from Supreme Court Justices Harry Blackman and William Brennan, respectively.
• Attorney Julia Rafferty is a member of board of trustees for the Gesu School of Philadelphia where she serves as a mentor to the students and provides pro-bono work to the school. Inspired by the Jesuit and IHM traditions of social justice, faith, love and hope, Gesu School strives, with open admissions, to provide a quality, innovative education for its neighbor children to empower them to break the cycle of poverty and violence.
• Partner Steven A. Scolari was selected as the recipient of the Main Line Chamber of Commerce 2008 Chairman’s Award. The award recognizes a board member who has exhibited outstanding work and service to the organization. Scolari currently serves on the Chamber’s board of directors and its board development committee. He also co-chairs the steering committee for the Chamber’s leadership main line program, which aims to provide diverse learning experiences to inspire individuals to make a difference in the community.
Our Support . . .
Furthermore, Stradley Ronon employees and staff participate in the annual fundraising campaigns of several local charities, including the American Red Cross and the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania. In addition, we contribute to the efforts of area schools, health care institutions and other organizations including:
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Abington Educational Foundation
American Heart Association
Ancillae-Assumpta Academy
Arthritis Foundation
Arts & Business Council
Assetmark Annual Holiday Toy Drive
Boy Scouts of America
Boys and Girls Clubs of Philadelphia
Caring for Kids Foundation
Catholic Philopatrian Literary Institute
Champions for Children
Chestnut Hill College
Citizens Advocacy of Chester County
Cradle of Liberty Council, Boy Scouts of America
DeSales University
Don Guanella Village
Drexel University
Eagles Fly for Leukemia
Free Library of Philadelphia
G. Fred DiBona, Jr. Memorial Foundation
Gesu School of Philadelphia
Girl Scouts of Southeastern Pennsylvania
Gloucester Catholic High School
Goodwill Industries of Delaware & Delaware County
Holy Redeemer Cancer Center
Holy Redeemer Health System
Homeless Advocacy Project
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
Magee Rehabilitation Foundation
Mercy Vocational High School
National Constitution Center
National Marrow Donor Program
National Multiple Sclerosis Society
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Nazareth Academy
NJ Alliance for Action, Inc.
Northern Home for Children
PA Horticultural Society
PA Partnership for Children
Police Athletic League of Philadelphia
Philadelphia Bar Association
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Philadelphia Zoo
Please Touch Museum
Police Athletic League
Project H.O.M.E.
Roman Catholic High School
Salvation Army of Camden
Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth
St. Edmond’s Academy
St. Ignatius Nursing Home
St. Joseph’s Preparatory School
Stewards of St. John Neumann
Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
The Academy of Music
The American Cancer Society
The Blind Relief Fund of Philadelphia
The Justinian Society
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
The RBA Scholarship Fund at Drexel
The Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund, Inc.
United Cerebral Palsy
Upper Main Line YMCA
Villanova Law School
Woodlynde School
World Affairs Council
YMCA of Philadelphia & Vicinity
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Pro Bono . . .
Stradley Ronon prides itself on representing the underprivileged and underrepresented in difficult and unpopular legal matters. Through our voluntary pro bono efforts, Stradley Ronon lawyers routinely represent low-income, disabled or otherwise disadvantaged people on issues involving:
• civil rights
• employment
• property
• custody
• the death penalty
Stradley Ronon receives pro bono referrals from numerous community organizations, such as the Philadelphia Volunteers for the Indigent Program, the SeniorLaw Center and Camden Area Health Education Centers. The firm's pro bono program is overseen by Steve Davis. |
