Deputy Mayor Carol Robles-Román (right) made presentations to the law firms honored at the pro bono event. Pictured with her are Norma Abbene,
her Chief of Staff and Chief Judge Roberto Velez.

Deputy Mayor Carol Robles-Román presented awards to three law firms for their outstanding leadership in offering pro bono legal services at an Oct. 26, 2009 breakfast kicking off National Pro Bono Week.

"We are really proud to be part of this effort," Ms. Robles-Román told the attendees at the event, held in the grand rotunda of the New York State Supreme Courthouse at 60 Centre Street. Latham & Watkins LLP was among the firms honored at the event for its work in representing individuals challenging the seizure of automobiles by the New York City Police Department at administrative hearings before OATH.

The OATH pro bono program began when Chief Administrative Law Judge Roberto Velez reached out in 2007 to a friend from high school ---- Christopher R. Plaut, a partner in Latham's New York finance department. Judge Velez was concerned that many individuals appearing before OATH in "Krimstock" hearings, seeking return of automobiles seized by NYPD as the instrumentality of a crime, were unrepresented by counsel. "I thought the administration of justice would be better if they were represented," says Judge Velez.

It began with a half-day seminar in which young Latham associates conducted a mock trial defending and prosecuting a vehicle seizure case. After that, Latham made a commitment to the program. "Many of our associates took to it and love it," says Mr. Plaut. "And it has been a great experience."

Since 2007, Latham lawyers have represented individuals in more than 100 Krimstock cases. They have conducted 16 trials and took an appeal to the Appellate Division, First Department, winning a ruling that establishes NYPD must commence an action for forfeiture within 25 days of an individual's demand for return of his or her car. "We are confident that all parties involved are happy that we help to even the playing field," says Mr. Plaut.

Among the law firms acknowledged in a Mayoral Proclamation for their pro bono work was Latham & Watkins, LLP. Shown here from left to right, are OATH Chief Judge Roberto Velez, Chris Plaut and Melinda Franek from Latham & Watkins, LLP,
and Deputy Chief Judge Charles McFaul.

Last year, Latham associates penned a Widener Law Journal article called "How to Win a Krimstock Hearing: Litigating Vehicle Retention Cases before New York's Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings," which was cited by several briefs in a forfeiture case argued before the United States Supreme Court in September.

Mr. Plaut was on hand for the Pro Bono Breakfast to accept the award for Latham, an acknowledged leader for its pro bono work, which provided more than 250,000 hours of free legal services in 2008. But Mr. Plaut said the credit should go to the firm's associates, among them Melinda C. Franek, a senior litigation associate who coordinates the firm's Krimstock program.

Ms. Robles-Román gave awards to two other law firms at the Pro Bono Week Kickoff Breakfast: Fried, Frank, Harris, Schriver & Jacobson LLP was honored for its longtime pro bono representation of asylum seekers, and Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP was honored for its work for the New York City Education Department negotiating the contract for a computer system to improve management of special education services.

Ms. Robles-Román presented a proclamation from Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg declaring Oct. 26, 2009 "National Pro Bono Week Kickoff Day." The event, co-hosted by the New York State Bar Association, the Office of Court administration and the Office of the Mayor, was one of many held throughout the city during the week. The Mayor's proclamation recognizes that by "providing free legal assistance to our City's most vulnerable residents," pro bono lawyers "help to ensure a fair and equitable system for all."

The breakfast and its august setting --- under the courthouse rotunda's recently restored Depression-era mural, "Law Through the Ages" by Italian-American Attilio Pusterla --- was a call to action for pro bono legal services. Ms. Robles-Román said: "The bottom line is, if we don't do it, who will? And the answer, really is, no one."