Procopio's Kessler named Pro Bono Attorney of the Year by SDVLP
By Doug Sherwin
The Daily Transcript
08.17.2011
The San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program has named Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch LLP associate Andrew J. Kessler as its Pro Bono Attorney of the Year for 2011.
The nonprofit agency also named Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker LLP as its Law Firm of the Year and gave Lawyers Club of San Diego its community service award.
“These awardees merit recognition for their tremendous contributions to our program and to our clients,” said Amy Fitzpatrick, executive director of SDVLP. “Their efforts model the highest ideals of our profession and it is our pleasure to honor their pro bono work.”
Kessler's practice focuses on construction litigation and contract disputes in California and Nevada. In stark contrast, his work as a volunteer attorney involves representing domestic violence victims in very difficult, volatile and emotional cases. In two such matters, Kessler devoted hundreds of hours and faced aggressive opposing counsel to obtain permanent protective orders and child custody orders for his clients.
Paul Hastings' San Diego office has been a tremendous proponent of law firm pro bono participation through their investment of staff and other resources to advance SDVLP’s work. Their legal staff amassed considerable pro bono hours assisting clients in nonprofit and incorporation issues and in a wide variety of cases handled by the AIDS Law Project. In addition, other SDVLP services have benefitted immensely from the firm’s financial and other contributions.
Lawyers Club was selected by SDVLP for the organization’s ongoing support and involvement in SDVLP. Since becoming an official sponsor in 1989, Lawyers Club has partnered with SDVLP in its efforts to help battered and homeless women and children. Lawyers Club helped to launch the Domestic Violence Restraining Order Clinic Program and was a founder with SDVLP of the Women’s Resource Fair.