OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE PRO BONO WORK
Our pro bono work for criminal justice reform includes seeking pardons for low-income clients whose minor and non-violent criminal records are preventing them from achieving their social and career potential . We also secured criminal expungements and record sealing for those previously incarcerated who are trying to improve their lives . Our pro bono partner for pardons work is Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity (“ PLSE ”) and our partners for expungement and record sealing include Delaware Volunteer Legal Services , Community Legal Services , and Legal Aid Society .
In 2023 , we partnered with clients to conduct this important work . For example , we held a successful pardon clinic with client PECO and two “ Second Chance ” clinics with client JPMorganChase .
In the videos to the right , Blank Rome attorneys Jeffrey N . Rosenthal in our Philadelphia office and John T . Winton in our New York office discuss their pro bono work as pardons coaches .
Blank Rome Secures Release for Domestic Violence Survivor
Philadelphia attorney Lauren E . O ’ Donnell was part of a legal team which successfully represented a woman charged with murdering her abusive boyfriend in self-defense . At the original trial , the court declared a mistrial . Lauren helped to argue that the client could not be retried due to double jeopardy because the mistrial was improperly declared . Although unsuccessful at the trial court level , Lauren and the legal team appealed to the Pennsylvania Superior Court , which reversed the trial court , granting a motion to dismiss based on double jeopardy and releasing their client .
Blank Rome Team Successful in Seventh Circuit Appeal
Alex
E . Hassid , based in our New York office , working with Chicago attorney Paul H . Tzur and Washington , D . C ., attorney Sabrina M . Rubis , secured a major victory in a Seventh Circuit criminal appeal on behalf of their pro bono client , a man convicted of drug offenses following a warrantless search of his residence , which the court concluded had violated his Fourth Amendment rights . The court issued an opinion that reversed the district court ’ s denial of the client ’ s motion to suppress . Alex said , “ The experience of briefing a criminal appeal based on the violation of an important constitutional right and arguing before the Seventh Circuit was phenomenal and rewarding . I would highly recommend it to other associates and partners .”
Since 2022 , we have handled more than
50 pardons through PLSE .
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