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Pro Bono

PRO BONO

Fulfilling Unmet Needs in the Community

Maslon recognizes that we must act as a leader, both in our profession and within the communities we serve, to address the rising incidence of unmet legal needs among the disadvantaged. As attorneys, we believe such work is our moral and ethical responsibility and is fundamental to the integrity of the judicial system. These values are paramount to our firm, inherited through more than six decades of faithful service to the community.

Our long-standing commitment to pro bono work includes participation in the Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge, a pact formed by the nation's largest law firms to significantly increase the amount of pro bono work being performed by their organizations. In addition, Maslon is a participant in the Minnesota State Bar Association North Star Lawyers program, which recognizes members who provide 50 hours or more of pro bono legal services per year to those who otherwise could not afford representation.

We encourage our attorneys and paralegals to pursue pro bono work that represents their distinct individual interests and concerns. As a result, our work spans a broad spectrum of clients and cases, including civil rights matters. Maslon has represented and will continue to represent a diverse range of clients.

Notable Recent Achievements

  • The Prosecution of Derek Chauvin and Other Former Officers: Through appointment as special assistant attorney general in July 2020, Maslon Partner Steve Schleicher proudly served on a pro bono basis as part of Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison's prosecution team for the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. Steve also served on the prosecution team for the anticipated 2022 trial of former officers Tou Thao and J. Alexander Kueng. The Chauvin case culminated in a 22.5-year sentence after the jury returned verdicts of guilty on second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter in the death of George Floyd. With Maslon’s support, Steve devoted more than 500 hours of pro bono service in 2020 to help prepare for the 2021 trial, at which he conducted the two-week voir dire, examined and cross-examined the fact and expert witnesses on use of force by the police and related training, and delivered the main closing argument for the prosecution in the trial. A small team of other Maslon attorneys assisted Steve; together, the team contributed over 2,300 hours in 2021. (View full story.)
  • Ordinance for Low-Income Tenants in Eviction: Attorney Jim Long volunteered his time to draft language for Minneapolis' 2021 ordinance ensuring low-income eviction defendants have access to an attorney. Jim was assisted in the pro bono work by Partner Julian Zebot and former Maslon Pro Bono Law Clerk Mallory Tarnowski. According to the city, low-income renters often have no legal representation when facing eviction—making it more challenging to stay in their homes. (View full story.)
  • Lake Street Book Project: Maslon Partners Terri Krivosha and Susan Markey, with help from then-summer associate Jessica Karp, provided pro bono legal assistance in the creation of Lake Street Speaks, a commemorative art book published in 2021 highlighting the street murals that emerged in Minneapolis in the wake of George Floyd's killing and protests. (View full story.)
  • Project N95: Maslon attorneys offered quick pro bono guidance for formation and provide ongoing counsel to support the mission of Project N95—a dynamic nonprofit organization created to deliver critical PPE to healthcare workers on the frontlines of COVID-19. (View full story.)
  • Minnesota Wills for Heroes: To ensure the Minnesota State Bar Association's Minnesota Wills for Heroes program (WFH) continued to address the needs of our first responders—particularly as they worked in the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis—Maslon Estate Planning Attorney Susan Link and colleague Andrea Bischoff temporarily transitioned the operation to virtual services. As program directors for WFH, their mutual dedication and coordinated effort with attorney volunteers helps further the program's mission to provide quality, no-cost estate-planning services to the families of the state's first responders—EMTs, police, firefighters and more—who daily risk their lives to help others. (View full story.)

View all Notable Achievements.

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Emily Gurnon, Marketing Communications Manager | Office: 612.672.8251 | Mobile: 651.785.3616

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Please do not submit any confidential information to Maslon via email on this website. By communicating with us we are not establishing an attorney-client relationship, and information you submit will not be protected by the attorney-client privilege and cannot be treated as confidential. A client relationship will not be formed until we have entered into a formal agreement. You should also be aware that we may currently represent parties whose interests may be adverse to yours, and we reserve the right to continue to represent them notwithstanding any communication we receive from you.

If you would like to discuss possible representation, please call one of our attorneys directly or use our general line (p 612.672.8200). We can then fully discuss our intake procedures and, if appropriate, introduce you to an attorney suited to assist with your matter. Alternatively, you may send an email containing a general inquiry subject to these terms.

If you are a member of the media, accept the terms of this notice, and would like to send an email, click on the "Accept" button below. Otherwise, please click "Decline."