Washington Business Journal Recognizes Crowell & Moring Among Most Philanthropic Law Firms for Pro Bono Hours for Ninth Straight Year

Washington – November 15, 2021: The Washington Business Journal recognized Crowell & Moring as one of the region’s most philanthropic law firms for the ninth consecutive year on its Corporate Philanthropy List. The list honors the most “active and inspirational” companies and nonprofits that have made a difference in their communities through financial and volunteer philanthropic work, charitable giving, volunteer hours, and pro bono work.

Crowell & Moring ranked 11th among 25 area law firms for providing legal service to those who cannot afford lawyers, with 24,853 hours contributed in 2020 by the firm's Washington, D.C. office. Crowell & Moring committed $1 million in pro bono legal services to address systemic racism following a series of incidents last year where police officers unlawfully killed innocent Black people, including George Floyd. In addition, the firm launched a Racial Equity Task Force to identify near-term actions and goals to enhance the experience of the firm’s diverse talent. As part of this initiative, the firm dramatically increased its efforts in the areas of voting rights, police misconduct and criminal justice. 

For example, working with the Advancement Project and Voice of the Experienced, the firm threatened a lawsuit against the Louisiana Secretary of State challenging a Louisiana statute that effectively suspended voting rights for individuals with felony convictions sentenced only to probation. The state eventually instituted a legislative fix, restoring the voting rights of 40,000+ individuals in Louisiana.

Crowell & Moring also successfully represented residents of Baltimore’s Harlem Park, an historic Black neighborhood, in reaching a settlement and obtaining a public apology in a federal court lawsuit against the Baltimore City Police Department and former Police Commissioner Kevin Davis. The residents’ lawsuit charged that their state and federal constitutional rights were violated during a six-day, multi-block lockdown of their neighborhood following the shooting death of a police detective.

Another pro bono highlight from the past year was the securing the release of Crosley Green from prison after 32 years of wrongful incarceration—much of it on death row—for a murder he did not commit. Since 2008, a team of firm lawyers and professional staff worked tirelessly to secure justice for Mr. Green. After reviewing the petition for compassionate relief filed by the Crowell team, U.S. District Court Judge Roy B. Dalton granted the motion to release Mr. Green, citing health risks stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic and the fact that Mr. Green's conviction in the 1989 shooting death of Charles "Chip" Flynn was overturned nearly three years ago by the same court—a decision that the state appealed to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals in 2018.

The firm also increased its efforts to seek compassionate release for prisoners as part of a concentrated effort to end mass incarceration. A Crowell & Moring team successfully represented a 77-year-old client who sought compassionate release after 51 years in prison. After two oral arguments and three rounds of briefing on the motion, the judge granted the motion over strong opposition from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Only two other individuals convicted of homicide had been granted COVID-related compassionate release by federal courts—out of dozens of petitions filed. 

To view the full list of law firms and the pro bono hours donated in 2020 within the Washington, D.C. metro area, please visit here.

About Crowell & Moring LLP

Crowell & Moring LLP is an international law firm with offices in the United States, Europe, MENA, and Asia that represents clients in litigation and arbitration, regulatory and policy, and transactional and corporate matters. The firm is internationally recognized for its representation of Fortune 500 companies in high-stakes litigation and government-facing matters, as well as its ongoing commitment to pro bono service and diversity, equity, and inclusion.