Overview
(August 2, 2022, Washington, DC) – Steptoe is pleased to announce that it has been recognized as a platinum-level donor in D.C. Access to Justice's 2020 Raising the Bar Campaign. The platinum level is the top tier of the campaign which honors firms that have donated at least .11% of D.C. office revenue toward DC-based legal services providers.
The D.C. Access to Justice Commission (the Commission) formally launched the Raising the Bar in D.C. Campaign in December 2010. The Commission seeks to increase significantly the resources for civil legal services, reduce barriers that prevent equal access to justice by low- and moderate-income District residents, advocate for increased pro bono work by local attorneys, and improve planning and coordination of legal services delivery. It works closely with the Courts, the Office of Administrative Hearings, the D.C. Council, legal services providers, the D.C. Bar Foundation, D.C. Bar leaders and members, area law firms and community leaders to achieve these goals. Steptoe Pro Bono Counsel and current Commissioner, Paul Lee, said, “Private sector support of our legal services partners is critical, and keeping that funding in the District strengthens our local community.”
Peter B. Edelman, Chair of the D.C. Access to Justice Commission said, “These funds provide essential support to our legal services providers who in turn ensure that thousands of District residents have access to legal help in critical areas such as housing, domestic violence, family law, addressing fraud, and more. These needs were made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic, which disproportionately impacts low-income District residents of color, and these needs will be long-lasting and continue even as we move towards recovery."
Public service at Steptoe is an integral part of our history, ethos, and operations. The principle of increasing access to justice guides our pro bono efforts. Steptoe is a charter signatory to the Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge, and was one of the first law firms to establish a position for a lawyer with full-time responsibility overseeing the firm’s pro bono program.
About Steptoe
In more than 100 years of practice, Steptoe has earned an international reputation for vigorous representation of clients before governmental agencies, successful advocacy in litigation and arbitration, and creative and practical advice in structuring business transactions. Steptoe has more than 500 lawyers and other professional staff across offices in Beijing, Brussels, Chicago, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Washington. For more information, visit www.steptoe.com.
