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Citizens Financial Group, Inc. is one of the nation’s oldest and largest financial institutions, with $176.7 billion in assets as of March 31, 2020. Headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island, Citizens offers a broad range of retail and commercial banking products and services to individuals, small businesses, middle-market companies, large corporations and institutions.

 

The legal team at Citizens Bank has been an essential partner in our immigration work for more than three years. They have attended regular naturalization clinics at both Debevoise and Goodwin, including a virtual naturalization clinic in partnership with Debevoise in July. We have been particularly impressed by the consistent participation of so many from the legal department at Citizens, from new attorneys to their General Counsel, Steve Gannon, and Susan Steinthal, EVP and head of their consumer banking legal team.

Since Debevoise & Plimpton LLP's founding in 1931, pro bono work has been central to the firm’s culture. Debevoise’s pro bono practice has focused on helping underserved and vulnerable communities tackle social problems and solve complex legal issues. Through its pro bono efforts, Debevoise fights in court to ensure laws are evenly applied. 

 

Debevoise has been a longstanding partner of legal services for decades. They have hosted and provided essential legal infrastructure to the clinics that we have done with Citizens Bank. And they have additionally helped on dozens of other crucial matters, from asylum for LGBTQ clients, to U visas, student debt relief, and more.

Through innovation and leadership Goodwin Procter LLP’s pro bono program leverages its lawyers’ interests and skillsets to help individuals and nonprofit organizations who could not otherwise afford legal assistance. Goodwin has provided pro bono assistance to low income small business owners through its signature program, the Neighborhood Business Initiative, which offers legal clinics, presentations, and one-on-one legal advice in and around our communities. Goodwin also represents nonprofit organizations working in a wide variety of areas, such as education, health and safety, peace-building and democracy initiatives, historic preservation, microfinance, and environmental protection.  Furthermore, Goodwin offers several “on demand” remote projects in which lawyers across its offices can readily become involved. 

 

Goodwin has been a rock-solid pro bono firm for legal services over that past several years. They have frequently and regularly hosted naturalization clinics. Recently, they also took on a new virtual clinic in response to COVID-19, helping clients pursue essential public benefits like food stamps, Medicaid, and more.

Founded in 1981 by Ethiopian refugees to give a helping hand to other newcomers, today African Services Committee is a multiservice human rights agency based in Harlem and dedicated to assisting immigrants, refugees and asylees from across the African Diaspora. African Services Committee’s programs address the needs of newcomers affected by war, persecution, poverty, and global health inequalities, providing health, housing, legal, educational, and social services to more than 6,500 people each year. Staff representing more than 20 countries and speaking over 25 languages provide culturally and linguistically relevant support to this diverse and growing community.

 

Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP

Goodwin Procter LLP

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP

Duane Morris LLP

Mayer Brown LLP

Riemer & Braunstein LLP

Ropes & Gray LLP

Adler Pollock & Sheehan P.C.

AlixPartners, LLP

Citizens Bank

Friedman Kaplan Seiler & Adelman LLP

Holland & Knight LLP

Jones Day LLP

Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP

McKool Smith

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP

William H. Taft V

Bressler Amery & Ross LLP

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP and C. Scott Greene, Esq.

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

Melissa Garza

Locke Lord LLP

Linton Mann III

Mintz

Reed Smith LLP

William T. Russell, Jr.

Patrick and Kara Shilling

Reed Smith LLP