Katten Supports Chicago Students With Backpacks

(CHICAGO) Katten announced today that the firm donated nearly 200 backpacks to students at Chicago Public Schools’ José de Diego Community Academy — home to the award-winning Katten Legal Clinic — further strengthening the firm’s long-standing commitment to the school, its families and the community.

“By providing free backpacks, we’re helping ease the cost of school supplies for families and supporting students so they can start the school year prepared. We’re proud to be a strong community partner whose culture of service is reflected in projects like this,” said Jennifer I. Wolfe, managing partner of Katten’s Chicago office.

The backpacks were given away on August 15 at the elementary school's Back-to-School event before students returned to the classroom for the new year. Matthew Doran, Katten paralegal, coordinated the donation.

"Our partnership with José de Diego Community Academy goes far beyond school supplies. Katten is deeply invested in serving the community through legal assistance at the Katten Legal Clinic based at the school. In fact, we often refer to the clinic as the 'crown jewel' of our pro bono program," said Jonathan K. Baum, Katten's director of pro bono services.

Since launching the clinic in 2013, Katten has collaborated with Legal Aid Chicago, the largest provider of free civil legal aid to poor and vulnerable residents of Cook County, Illinois, to operate the clinic. Among the first school-based clinics of its kind, the Katten Legal Clinic has served about 1,500 individuals and families in a wide range of legal issues, including public benefits, housing disputes, family law, expungements and consumer protection.

Many Katten attorneys dedicate considerable time and effort toward offering legal help to clients at the clinic, helping Katten mark its biggest year overall for the firm’s pro bono program. This past year, Katten logged a record number of total hours for pro bono service and hit an all-time high with the rate of attorney participation, leading Katten to boost its spot in the AmLaw 200 Pro Bono Rankings.