In 2007, Kramer Levin launched an exciting new pro bono relationship with the William J. Clinton Foundation. President Clinton established the Foundation at the end of his second term with the mission to strengthen the capacity of people throughout the world to meet the challenges of global interdependence. Today the Foundation has grown into a global nongovernmental organization with more than 800 staff and volunteers. It focuses on four critical areas: (1) health security; (2) economic empowerment; (3) leadership development and citizen service; and (4) racial, ethnic and religious reconciliation.

Attorneys from Kramer Levin’s litigation, corporate, intellectual property, real estate, employment, and individual client group have worked on a wide range of Foundation matters, under the leadership of Melissa Prober, who serves as the primary client contact. For example, Erica Klein, Carole Klinger, and Heather Chase have provided advice to the Foundation concerning intellectual property issues; Audrey Bender has assisted the Foundation with legal needs for the leases of the Foundation’s Harlem office and a new office in Boston, Massachusetts; and John Plauche has provided on-going transactional advice reviewing various contracts for the Foundation’s events and activities. John Bessonette, Timothy Harkness, Robert Holtzman, Kevin Leblang, Jennifer Rochon, William Spatz, Norm Simon, Gabrielle Gould, Jennifer Diana, Aaron Fleisher, Dana Katz, Jordan Kaye, Abdul-Rahman Lediju, Marc Melzer, and Laetitia Vellut have also assisted the Foundation, as did then-summer associates Dannie Cho, Katherine Gilman, and Michael Mellin.

Firm attorneys have also contributed substantial legal assistance to the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), a Foundation program that brings together a community of global leaders to devise and implement innovative solutions to the most pressing challenges in four focus areas: (1) education; (2) energy and climate change; (3) global health; and (4) poverty alleviation. In September 2007, CGI convened its annual meeting and announced the establishment of CGI U, a similar initiative targeting college students. A number of attorneys have provided legal advice with respect to CGI U’s partnership with MTV, with Carole Klinger leading the negotiation of a production agreement for CGI U’s kick-off event hosted by President Clinton at the Apollo Theatre. Additionally, Gabrielle Gould, Arielle Warshall Katz, and Melissa Prober provided CGI U with significant legal counseling with respect to its inaugural annual event in New Orleans, and a number of attorneys have provided CGI with research regarding potential partnerships and commitments.

Home: 2007 Pro Bono Report