Recognizing the ever-growing need in the community for the provision of legal services to those of limited means, Fitzpatrick has instituted a firm-wide pro bono program that encourages each lawyer in the firm to devote time to pro bono service. The firm’s Pro Bono Committee has a representative from each of our three offices: Don Curry (New York), Brian Klock (Washington, D.C.) and Ed Kmett (Costa Mesa). Don is also the Pro Bono Coordinator for the firm.

Pro bono organizations with which Fitzpatrick is working include:

• The Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts
• The Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts
• The Appellate Defenders Office
• New York Lawyers for the Public Interest
• The City Bar Justice Center
• The Legal Aid Society
• The Pro Bono Partnership
• The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program.

Exemplary matters handled by Fitzpatrick attorneys include:

• Defending a trademark infringement case brought against a non-profit corporation that runs summer music camps for children.
• Assisting the Legal Aid Society in a predatory lending case in federal court.
• Negotiating a trademark license for a public library.
• Providing advice on intellectual property issues to non-profit corporations that are developing online computer software programs for educational and training purposes.
• Providing design patent advice to an individual.
• Representing a client in a proceeding against the New York City Housing Authority to retain public housing benefits.
• Advising clients on copyright ownership and infringement issues.
• Representing veterans on appeals to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.

In addition, Fitzpatrick attorneys in the past have done pro bono work on behalf of: the City of New York (trademark infringement lawsuit to prevent the sale of unauthorized NYPD and FDNY-branded merchandise); families of victims of the 9/11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center; a patient organization that promotes research on lysosomal storage diseases; and various charitable organizations, including Safe Horizons (which provides education about abuse in the home) and Asphalt Green (which provides sports and fitness programs for needy members of the community).