Crowell & Moring Honored as Pro Bono Law Firm of the Year by Tahirih Justice Center

Washington, D.C. - September 27, 2006: Crowell & Moring LLP has been named "Pro Bono Law Firm of the Year" by the Tahirih Justice Center (TJC) and will be honored for its pro bono program at the 9th Annual Tahirih Justice Center benefit on September 27, 2006 at the J. W. Marriot Hotel in Washington, D.C. Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas, Congressional sponsor for the International Marriage Broker Act, will be the benefit's keynote speaker.

TJC is a legal services provider that seeks to enable women and girls fleeing gender-based violence to access justice through direct litigation, public policy advocacy, education, and outreach. Crowell & Moring has been handling pro bono matters referred by TJC since 2004. The firm has successfully represented Tahirih-referred clients in filing applications for relief under the Violence Against Women Act, U visa applications, a T visa application, a gender-based asylum application and in pursuing asylum at the administrative hearing level. In addition, the firm has worked with TJC on potential litigation challenging the failure of the Department of Homeland Security to issue immigration regulations concerning U visas, on an amicus brief in support of the constitutionality of the International Marriage Broker Act, and most recently, in evaluating litigation on behalf of eight victims of human trafficking on a private right of action under the federal human trafficking statute.

In a survey of the nation’s 200 highest-grossing firms, Crowell & Moring LLP ranked 13th in American Lawyer's "Pro Bono Report," which was based on the most recent “AmLaw 200” survey of that magazine. The firm boasted an average of 80.4 pro bono hours per lawyer with 62.2 percent of lawyers providing more than 20 hours of pro bono work.

Crowell & Moring has committed itself - as a firm and as a community of professionals - to assure that all citizens have access to the legal system. Crowell & Moring's promotion of broad participation in pro bono work by the firm's lawyers and staff has enabled the firm to serve a range of urgent community needs.

The firm has been recognized by many legal service organizations for its pro bono contributions and has the distinction of receiving the District of Columbia Bar's pro bono "Law Firm of the Year Award" for two of the past 15 years (1991 and 1994). In April 2006, for the second consecutive year, Crowell & Moring was one of 14 Washington, D.C. law firms honored by the Chief Judges of the local Federal Courts for its commitment to pro bono work and meeting the benchmark of having 40 percent of its lawyers personally provide 50 or more hours of pro bono service.

Crowell & Moring LLP is a full-service law firm with approximately 300 attorneys practicing in litigation, antitrust, government contracts, corporate, intellectual property and more than 40 other practice areas. More than two-thirds of the firm's attorneys regularly litigate disputes on behalf of domestic and international corporations, start-up businesses, and individuals. Crowell & Moring's extensive client work ranges from advising on one of the world's largest telecommunications mergers to representing governments and corporations on international arbitration matters. Based in Washington, D.C., the firm also has offices in New York, Brussels, California and London.