February 15, 2010, Manchester, NH: Three attorneys and the Pro Bono coordinator at McLane, Graf, Raulerson & Middleton, Professional Association were honored for their service to the public at the New Hampshire Bar Association’s MidWinter Meeting.
Jack B. Middleton, President and senior partner in the firm’s Litigation Department, received the Bar’s Distinguished Service to the Public Award.
Recognized with Distinguished Pro Bono Service Awards for their efforts were:
Eric Sommers, who focuses his practice on complex commercial disputes, including business, intellectual property, and computer and privacy matters, honored for his work on the DOVE Project. Eric committed more than 100 hours to pro bono work in 2009;
Beth Fowler, who regularly represents taxpayers before the New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration, the Internal Revenue Service and other taxing agencies, for her low-income taxpayer Project; and.
Mary Jo Herman, the firm’s Pro Bono coordinator, for her success in placing new cases, often on very short notice, with volunteer attorneys to handle them.
Collectively, the firm devoted more than 1700 pro bono hours by lawyers in 2009. The firm asks each of its attorneys to provide 30-50 hours of pro bono service each calendar year representing individuals who cannot afford legal representation or organizations whose primary mission is serving those in need.
Gregory Smith, the firm’s managing partner, said, “Making contributions to the communities in which we live and work has for nearly a century been a deeply rooted tradition of the McLane Law Firm. On behalf of the firm, I want to express our sincere appreciation for the commitment to justice reflected in the work of all the volunteers who are providing legal representation to those who need our help.”
About the McLane Law Firm
Founded in 1919, the McLane Law Firm is the largest full-service law firm in the state of New Hampshire, with offices in Manchester, Concord and Portsmouth, as well as Woburn, Massachusetts. Driven by the firm’s depth of sophisticated legal practice and an unwavering commitment to client service, McLane has built collaborative and lasting relationships with a broad spectrum of regional, national and international clients. www.mclane.com