Access to Justice Awards Benefit to be Held on October 20, 2020
The Philadelphia Bar Foundation's annual event celebrates businesses, civil legal aid organizations, and the public interest community.
PHILADELPHIA, PA (October 15, 2020) – The Philadelphia Bar Foundation is excited to announce the 2020 Access to Justice Awards Benefit will be held virtually on Tuesday, October 20, 2020, at 5:00 p.m. In addition to recognizing the formidable work done by members of Philadelphia’s legal aid and pro bono community, this event helps secure financial support for the Bar Foundation through 2020.
Kelly J. Gastley, Esq., Managing Attorney at Philadelphia VIP, and David Keller Trevaskis, Esq., Pro Bono Coordinator at the Pennsylvania Bar Association, will each receive the 2020 Philadelphia Bar Foundation Award which recognizes public interest attorneys who have dedicated their careers to the fight for equal access to justice.
Comcast NBCUniversal and Dechert LLP will each receive the 2020 Pro Bono Award, which recognizes Philadelphia law firms or corporate legal departments that perform outstanding volunteer efforts in providing legal services to those in need.
Peter Shankman, best-selling author and angel investor, will be the evening’s keynote speaker. A frequent guest commentator on CNN, Mr. Shankman has founded and sold three successful startups, written five books, and consulted for clients such as American Express, The US Department of Defense, Snapple Beverage Group, Walt Disney World, United Airlines, and many others. This year’s benefit will be hosted by Rosemary Connors, NBC10 Anchor/Reporter. Ms. Connors won six Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards for her work at NBC10.
Through programs, grants, and partnerships, the Philadelphia Bar Foundation removes barriers to justice, engages the community in support of civil legal aid, and builds system-wide capacity in order to strengthen the provision of quality legal services and to ensure that all individuals understand their rights to equal justice under law. In response to the coronavirus pandemic, the Philadelphia Bar Foundation released more than a quarter-million dollars in emergency grants to civil legal aid nonprofits to help alleviate unexpected economic pressure and provide support for their future needs. The Bar Foundation intends to provide additional grants in December 2020, pending fundraising achievements and market developments.
The Bar Foundation is grateful for the support of their 2020 Unified Giving partners, and 2020 Access to Justice Awards Benefit sponsors, including Brotherly Love sponsor Comcast NBCUniversal.
Registration for the event is open at www.philabarfoundation.org. Questions about the event can be directed to Laura Powers, Director of Development and Communications, at [email protected].