Chicago Team Receives Community Service Award for Pro Bono Work

A Chicago-based team of Latham lawyers was recently recognized with the Jack Blane Community Service Award, which honors exceptional service to the Highland Park community. The award honors the work of retired partner Mark Gerstein, partners Diana Doyle and Dan Breslin, and associates Karen Frankenthal and Daniel Robinson to establish and structure a fund to help victims of a mass shooting in Highland Park, Illinois, in July 2022 (learn more about this work).

Following the creation of Together Highland Park Unidos, which Latham helped establish and structure, donations poured in to help those impacted by the tragedy. Since then, US$5.8 million has been distributed to victims and survivors of the Highland Park shooting and organizations supporting their needs.

“Donors across the country and around the globe showed their generosity and compassion at a time when the residents of Highland Park and Highwood needed it most. Creating the legal structure to quickly and transparently distribute the funds helped to maximize their impact to victims and their families and made a tangible difference in our community,” said Betsy Brint, HPCF Board Chair. “No amount of compensation can replace a human life, but we thank Latham & Watkins for helping us take steps as a community to come back together and move forward. Their guidance throughout the process was truly a godsend.”