George Hanna receives the Julius L. Chambers Diversity Champion Award.

Pro Bono & Community Service

Our attorneys share a deep devotion to the law, but our passions extend far beyond that. We bring as much enthusiasm to our outside interests as we do to our work. Whether it’s reading to third-graders at the firm’s adopted school, coaching a little league team, carving out time for our families or presiding over a professional organization, our attorneys have a sense of fulfillment and balance.

Pro Bono

As a firm, we spend numerous hours handling traditional pro bono cases for indigents, children, elderly and non-profit organizations in conjunction with many organizations including:

Access to Justice
ACLU
The Children’s Law Center
East Carolina Legal Services
Judicial Pro Se Project
Legal Services for Charleston County (South Carolina)
Legal Services for the Elderly
Legal Services for Southern Piedmont
National Center for Refugee and Immigrant Children
Mecklenburg County Bar's Volunteer Lawyers Program
North Central Legal Assistance Program

Summer Pro Bono Assignments

Each summer we offer a summer associate pro bono program focusing on domestic violence and landlord-tenant cases. Summer associates are paired with attorney mentors who provide guidance while the summer associate acts as the lead on the case. These projects give the associate the opportunity to carry a case from start to finish.

Community Involvement

Among our attorneys, you will find sports enthusiasts, politicians, arts advocates and others engaged in the community. Such civic participation is encouraged because, after all, well-rounded attorneys make the best attorneys.

Our attorneys and staff are generous with charitable and community organizations as well, spending countless volunteer hours, serving on boards and making significant financial contributions to organizations including:

The Afro-American Cultural Center
American Heart Association
American Red Cross
Arts & Science Council
Boy Scouts of America
Charlotte Emergency Housing
Charlotte Rescue Mission
City of Medicine Program
Community Building Initiative
Durham Arts Council
Girl Scouts of America
Hope Haven
Humane Society of Charlotte
Juvenile Diabetes Foundation
Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
Multiple Sclerosis Society
Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina
Special Olympics of North Carolina
Susan G. Komen Foundation
Teach for America
United Family Services
United Way
YMCA of Greater Charlotte Community Development
Youth Homes, Inc.
YWCA-Women in Transition Program

Please click here to view MVA's Public Service Annual Report

Bar Involvement

Moore & Van Allen attorneys are active in the state and local bar organizations. Our attorneys serve as officers, board members and chairs of various sections and committees. MVA member Tony Lathrop served as president of the Mecklenburg County Bar from late 2006 to 2008.

The opening of the new courthouse in early 2007 marked the pinnacle of Mr. Lathrop's presidency. Using the same problem-solving skills that he employs for client matters, he led a group that pushed for greater attorney access to the "back halls" of the new courthouse. Also during his year-long term, Mr. Lathrop championed a far-reaching diversity initiative, helped resurrect the Corporate Counsel Section, energized young lawyer networking and advanced the continuing education offerings.

Public Service Committee

Moore & Van Allen’s Public Service Committee is committed to "doing" rather than "talking" and to that end, the 19-member committee initiates projects that serve low-income individuals, often focusing on children. These volunteer opportunities cater to the schedules of firm employees by varying from long-term commitments to one-time projects. Here are a few of our long-standing or most recent successes:

Adopted Devonshire Elementary School to offer a weekly reading program aimed at improving reading and overall academic performance.
Fill the wishes of families in the Thompson Child and Family Focus Network through a firmwide holiday donation drive.
Partner our summer associates and attorneys with Habitat for Humanity to work on a house
Helped create the Council for Children's Rights with the merger of two area non-profit organizations.
Pledge portions of our paychecks to help low-income families have their basic needs covered, including housing and health care.
Pledge portions of our paychecks to help enrich Charlotte's culture, making it a better place to live, work and raise families.

Of Note

Signed on to a 100-hour commitment to the Judicial Pro Se Project, an initiative of the local Judiciary and Court Administrators and supported by the Mecklenburg County Bar and the Mecklenburg Bar Foundation. Attorneys are devoting this time to the Self Serve Center at the Mecklenburg County Courthouse.
Hosted the launch of the North Carolina Office for Unaccompanied Immigrant Children, 2007.
Recorded 2,217 hours of pro bono work in 2007.
Participants in the Walk to Cure Diabetes for 20 years and counting.
Donated 28 cellular telephones, batteries and chargers to the National Center for Refugee and Immigrant Children for unaccompanied immigrant children who may need to call 911.
Donated 30 BlackBerries to the Council for Children's Rights for staff atttorneys' use.
Annually manages firmwide fundraising campaigns, ranging from “dress down days” to major walk campaigns, including annual fundraisers for the American Heart Association, Arts & Science Council, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Susan G. Komen Foundation, and United Way.
Contributed a combined total over $330,000 to five organizations through firmwide fundraising campaigns last year.
During the holiday season, the firm donates to six charities that are chosen by a firm-wide vote. The 2007 holiday beneficiaries were: Charlotte Emergency Housing, United Family Services Shelter for Battered Women, MedAssist, Nevins, Inc., Pat's Place Child Advocacy Center and the Uptown Men's Shelter.

Accolades

The Sally and Bill Van Allen Public Service Award - Jared Poplin, 2009
Julius L. Chambers Diversity Champion Award - George Hanna, 2009
Pro Bono Large Firm of the Year, Mecklenburg County Bar’s Volunteer Lawyers Program, 2007.
Innovation Award from Clean Air Works! for our transit programs, 2007.
Large Firm Balanced Life Workplace Award by the North Carolina Association of Women Attorneys, 2007.
Mint Museum Spirit Award for our commitment to the arts, 2007.
Mecklenburg County Bar Pro Bono Attorney of the Year - Rob Fisher, 2006.