At Murnane Brandt, our commitment to pro bono is simple. We aspire to have a lasting impact on the Twin Cities community by volunteering our attorneys’ legal skills to improve the lives of the disadvantaged and also assist local organizations in meeting their legal needs.
Pro bono participation is more than just a professional or ethical obligation. Service to the community allows our attorneys to broaden their perspectives while often practicing in areas of the law for which a lawyer’s daily practice does not cover. We believe this invaluable experience of helping people in need with complicated real-life issues enhances our ability to problem solve and better advocate on behalf of the firm’s own clients.
Victims of domestic violence: Murnane Brandt is proud to be in its third year of pro bono service to Tubman (formerly Chrysalis and the Tubman Family Alliance), where nearly a quarter of the firm’s attorneys have donated pro bono legal services since 2007, equivalent to nearly $85,000 in billings. Our lawyers have made a firm commitment to Tubman’s “Pro Bono Safety Project,” which was created to increase the safety of domestic violence victims and their families. As volunteer attorneys, we help low-income clients obtain orders for protection (OFPs) against their abusers.
Environmental preservation: Under the direction of shareholder Andrew Shern, a Murnane Brandt legal team has devoted countless hours to the representation of the Sierra Club, an organization focused on protecting Minnesota’s environment. We are serving as lead counsel in longstanding litigation over proposed residential land development along the St. Croix River that threatens to compromise scenic landscapes and views. This high-profile matter is currently on appeal.
Children and families: Several of our employees have served as guardian ad litems for Ramsey County, including pro bono chair Thomas Gilligan, advocating on behalf of children in the midst of difficult and painful circumstances such as neglect, homelessness, parental drug addictions and abuse.
Legal aid: Historically, legal aid has been another key beneficiary of Murnane Brandt’s pro bono efforts. Our attorneys have handled numerous domestic relations and landlord-tenant cases on behalf of low-income clients for Minnesota’s oldest and largest legal aid society, Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services (SMRLS). Shareholder Steven Kirsch has been instrumental in SMRLS’ annual fund-raising efforts, serving nearly a decade as chair of the Campaign for Legal Aid and assisting with the raising of nearly $8 million in funds.
Nothing means more to us than to know that we have been successful in making a difference in the Twin Cities community. In 2008, Chrysalis (now Tubman) recognized Thom Gilligan with its “Award of Excellence” for his outstanding performance representing victims of abuse and a year earlier, Murnane Brandt was named Chrysalis’ “Firm of the Year.”
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