Moore & Van Allen Celebrates Service Contributions at 15th Annual Public Service Luncheon
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (June 28, 2016) – Moore & Van Allen PLLC (MVA) honored select Firm attorneys and staff at its 15th annual Sally & Bill Van Allen Public Service Luncheon in June. Litigation Member Karin McGinnis received the hallmark 2016 Sally & Bill Van Allen Public Service Award for her commitment to public service in 2015. Additionally, the Outstanding Volunteer Staff Member Award was presented to Network Engineer Jon Littlepage, and the Outstanding Pro Bono Team Project Award was given to MVA’s Second Harvest Financing Team.
The annual Sally & Bill Van Allen Public Service Luncheon celebrates the many public service and pro bono hours that MVA attorneys, staff and community partners have donated over the course of the previous year. In 2015, MVA attorneys and staff collectively donated 6,093 pro bono and public service hours. The Sally & Bill Van Allen Public Service Award, which bears the name of two revered members of the Moore & Van Allen family, is presented internally to recognize one individual’s superior commitment to public service. The Van Allen’s trail-blazing commitment to the good of the community continues to inspire Firm pro bono and public service efforts today.
“I believe that we are not here to serve ourselves, but we are here to serve others. This isn’t something we are born with, it is something we are taught. When we are serving others, we are not just helping the person in need, we are teaching others about public service,” McGinnis stated upon accepting the award, which was presented by Litigation Member Larry Gwaltney.
McGinnis, who practices in the Firm’s Litigation group, performs pro bono work on behalf of victims of domestic violence, human trafficking and indigent clients in landlord/tenant cases. She also serves on behalf of North Carolina’s food-insecure populations, having just completed a two-year term as the Chair of the Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina’s Board of Directors. Over the course of her career, McGinnis has provided pro bono legal advice for several community organizations including, Thompson Child and Family Focus, Charlotte Center City Partners, Charlotte Sports Foundations and Safe Alliance.
Littlepage received the Outstanding Volunteer Staff Member Award for his service on the Public Service committee and throughout the Charlotte community. He has directed his efforts to support victims of domestic violence. Littlepage worked closely with Safe Alliance to raise awareness through the Walk a Mile and Beards Because campaigns. Most recently, Littlepage recruited MVA volunteers from the Firm’s human resources, accounting and IT departments to present a life-skills workshop for the shelter residents. The program provided attendees with interview tips and employment preparation, personal financial best practices, and internet safety tools and techniques.
Members Ben Hawfield and Steve Hope accepted the Outstanding Pro Bono Team Project Award on behalf of MVA’s Second Harvest Financing Team. The team was recognized for closing the $14 million financing for the Food Bank’s new warehouse. As a result of the legal structure, the Food Bank was able to sell tax credits for $2.9 million, which led to the successful outcome of the Food Bank’s capital campaign.
Firm Chairman Ernie Reigel gave the opening remarks at the luncheon. Jimmy McQuilkin, founder and director of UrbanPromise Charlotte, and Ethan Scott, UrbanPromise Alumnus, served as the keynote speakers. The event was held at Charlotte City Club.
Karin McGinnis’s Involvement & Accolades at a Glance:
- Named the Sally & Bill Van Allen Public Service Award Winner, 2016
- Second Harvest Board of Directors Chair, 2014-present
- NCBA Pro Bono Strategic Planning Task Force, 2014
- Board of Directors member for Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts
- North Carolina Bar Association: President's 4-All Task Force, 2007-2008
- NCBA Lawyers Effectiveness and Quality of Life Committee, 2006-2013
- Young Lawyers Division of the North Carolina Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division, Chair
- NCBA Board of Governors
- Guardian ad litem for the Children’s Law Center
About Moore & Van Allen PLLC
As one of the largest law firms in the Southeast, Moore & Van Allen is committed to giving back to the communities in which it serves. The Firm’s nearly 300 attorneys, along with staff, endeavor and encourage others to advance this commitment by volunteering both time and talents to beneficial projects and organizations of their choosing. Individuals from the Firm’s Charlotte and Research Triangle, North Carolina, and Charleston, South Carolina offices are collectively involved in more than 300 civic, arts and charitable organizations. To formalize efforts, MVA established its internal Public Service Committee in 2001. A more complete list of the Firm’s public service and pro bono projects can be seen at www.mvalaw.com/f-40.html.
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