Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation
Saturday Lawyer Program Awards
This year, AVLF’s Saturday Lawyer Program is introducing three new awards to honor individuals
and firms that really are the life-blood of the program - keeping it fresh, effective, and responsive to
the needs of our clients: The Best New Firm Award, Best New Volunteer Award,
and the Saturday Lawyer “Making a Difference” Award.
Best New Firm: Ballard Spahr LLP
B a l l a r d S p a h r, L L P h a s
more than 30 attorneys
and IP professionals in its
Atlanta office, a renowned
patent practice, and a true
commitment to pro bono work.
They also have associate
Rebecca McFadyen. Rebecca
started volunteering for the
Saturday Lawyer Program
in 2010, fearlessly taking on
Rebecca McFadyen
cases and – apparently –
taking her passion for this work
back to her colleagues at Ballard Spahr. Under Rebecca’s
leadership locally, Ballard Spahr quickly launched its
partnership with the Saturday Lawyer Program in 2011,
sponsoring multiple Saturdays and consistently sending a
new pool of energized and compassionate attorneys, who
enthusiastically represent the clients they meet on Saturday.
In just a year’s time, Ballard Spahr has not only sponsored
Saturdays but has also accepted the representation of ten
cases, almost all of which are complicated housing matters
involving deplorable conditions, difficult landlords, and clients
in desperate situations. The hallmarks of the firm’s work
on these cases are – without fail – the volunteer attorney’s
willingness to jump right into a case, the thoroughness and
attention to detail they bring to the case and the compassion
and patience they demonstrate for each client regardless of
the challenges in the case. AVLF is grateful for that high
level of commitment and quality from a new partner, proud
to honor that commitment with this year’s “Best New Firm”
Award; we are certain it will be the first AVLF award of many
for Ballard Spahr. ■
16
THE ATLANTA LAWYER
October 2011
Best New Volunteer: Michelle LeGault,
LeGault Legal, LLC
Michelle LeGault, of LeGault
Legal, LLC, began volunteering
with the Saturday Lawyer
Program just over a year ago
and has already demonstrated
a remarkable work ethic and
ability to get results for our
clients – all while building a new
practice. While the volume of
cases Michelle has taken on is
impressive for a firm of one, it
is the depth and quality of the
services provided that truly stands out. Without hesitation,
Michelle has accepted the representation of four cases
in the last year, all complex, all involving a wide range of
issues and all requiring someone who is tenacious and
willing to fight for justice. Michelle has always been up to
the challenge. In one matter, Michelle quickly achieved a
five-figure settlement for a low-income mother of two whose
children were exposed to a severe bed-bug infestation. More
impressive still, Michelle worked tirelessly on the best way to
structure the settlement and provided excellent counsel on
the tax implications for her client and how her client should
handle the funds. A settlement of that size, achieved that
efficiently, is not common in our program, and it allowed this
family to get back on their feet. Michelle has delivered the
same level of service – and secured the same level of results
– to a client whose employer refused to pay her, securing
a judgment for thousands of dollars in unpaid wages while
also making sure the client received assistance through
AVLF for related benefit coverage issues. Whatever the size
of your practice, every member of this Bar can appreciate
the heightened sacrifice that pro bono work represents for
solo-practitioners, especially those trying to open and build
a new practice. AVLF is grateful to Michelle LeGault for the
commitment she has made and the great success she has
had on behalf of our clients – and we are proud to present
her with this year’s “Best New Volunteer” Award. ■
The Official News Publication of the Atlanta Bar Association