Sonnenschein Announces Rothschild Award Winners for 2005

Sonnenschein announced the recipients of the Rothschild Pro Bono Awards for 2005 during the annual Partners’ Weekend meeting in February 2006. The awards honor the name and memory of Ed Rothschild, our late partner who devoted his career to pro bono causes. The partner and associate selected for the awards embody the same spirit and dedication in their pro bono work.

Richard Zuckerman was presented the Partner's Award, and Violet Wallach was chosen to receive the Associate’s Award. Sonnenschein will make charitable contributions in their names: Richard has designated $2,500 to Human Rights Watch and $2,500 to The Center For Architecture Foundation. Violet has nominated $2,500 to Public Counsel and $2,500 to The Nature Conservancy.

Richard was chosen to receive the Partner's Award in recognition of the work he personally completed for Human Rights Watch, the largest human rights organization in the country, and for facilitating other work for that organization. Through his work, Richard proved that desirable and dynamic pro bono clients are won in the very same way that good paying clients are won—by providing superb legal services and by carefully cultivating and maintaining communication with the client. Richard was able to expand Sonnenschein’s effort for the client over time, eventually involving 11 additional lawyers from four separate offices, in substantively challenging pro bono projects. He charged forward with this work while taking on other pro bono projects and tending to a busy commercial practice. He has provided a “how to” model for any partner or senior associate who seeks interesting and fulfilling pro bono work.

Violet, who already has been named by Sonnenschein's L.A. office as Pro Bono Advocate of the Year, was recognized for her very substantial and effective work on two separate asylum cases and also for her nonprofit transactional work. In the first asylum case she has, by virtue of her enthusiasm and language skills, made herself the primary liaison to the clients, a low-income Mexican immigrant mother and two members of her family, all of whom have been victims of domestic violence.

Violet’s involvement has been critical as the office prepares for trial, a proceeding in which the government seeks to remove the clients. Violet also has prepared and filed all of the documents necessary to support the asylum claim of a 17-year-old boy from Guatemala who fears death at the hands of a gang if he is sent back to that country.

In addition, Violet assisted Inland Valley Drug and Alcohol Services, a group that assists women recovering from addiction, by providing a secure environment for their children while the women participate in recovery programs. In the latter role, she assisted with a purchase of land, drafting the purchase agreement and doing due diligence for the transaction. In each case, Violet’s enthusiasm and zest for the work made her involvement critical to the success of each project.