Community Service
We believe that every person can make a difference in the community and every person has something to contribute.
We take a holistic approach to giving back to our communities by integrating our pro bono legal services, charitable giving programs, community service activities, and sustainability initiatives. Our programs follow our guideposts of Compassion, Action, and Impact: we care about our communities and our planet, so we take action to preserve and improve them. Our goal is to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.
Cradles to Crayons
Start with compassion.
Compassion
In 2017, Seyfarth’s Chicago office launched its first-ever Day of Service and invited all 500+ Chicago-based employees to participate. The service project benefited Cradles to Crayons, a non-profit organization that provides low-income and homeless children with the essential items they need to thrive. Attorneys and staff from the office showed overwhelming support for the Day of Service, and it has since become a recurring fixture in the Chicago office.
Take action.
Action
To accommodate the demanding schedules of attorneys and staff, the Day of Service offered total flexibility. Volunteers were invited to work a half-day morning or afternoon shift at the Cradles to Crayons Giving Factory, where they sorted donated goods or created packages of needed supplies for program recipients. For those who were unable to get away from the office, our largest conference room space was converted into a giant assembly line, where volunteers worked together to create packs of school supplies. Those with only a few moments to spare were encouraged to create personalized “well wish” cards for the children receiving the donated packs. These handwritten cards are placed at the top of each donation pack, so a cheerful and inspiring note from a caring volunteer is the first thing a child sees upon receiving the donated pack. Finally, employees go the extra mile each year by coordinating month-long donation drives to collect gently used items, and by hosting bake sales and other events to raise funds for Cradles to Crayons.
Above: A gallery of Seyfarthians giving back for Cradles to Crayons.
Make an impact.
Impact
The impact from the Day of Service has been remarkable. What began as an idea to engage more employees in the community resulted in:
$40,955
Donated
Total donations from personal contributions and Seyfarth’s Charitable Foundation.
3,900 +
Helped
Children who received the critical items they need to thrive.
4,293
Supplied
Backpacks and school supply refill kits.
1,516
Created
Handwritten well-wish cards created.
28
Filled
Large donation crates filled with new and gently used clothing and toys.
Above: Team Seyfarth’s projects for MLK Day of Service.
Pro bono & inclusion partnership spotlight
Inclusion and Diversity are core values at Seyfarth, so it is important for us to incorporate the mission and goals of our Office of Inclusion and Diversity into our pro bono programming. This joint venture has produced a variety of initiatives and partnerships with affinity groups.
Collaboration in Action: Community Service
In 1994, Congress designated the holiday for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday as a national day of service, encouraging citizens to volunteer in their communities as a way to honor Dr. King’s legacy. Starting in 2017, as a sign of Seyfarth’s commitment to community service, the firm’s African-American Affinity Group (known as A+) worked with the Pro Bono & Philanthropy team to identify service events for employees in US offices, giving them the opportunity to participate in events across the country.
Above: Team Seyfarth builds homes for Habitat for Humanity in New York.
nonprofit PARTNERSHIP SPOTLIGHT
Habitat for Humanity
Seyfarth is a proud, long-time supporter of the work and mission of Habitat for Humanity. Over the past decade, Seyfarth’s Charitable Foundation has contributed nearly $120,000 to various Habitat for Humanity chapters throughout the United States. Since 2008, Seyfarth volunteer teams have participated in group build events in seven Seyfarth cities: Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Sacramento, San Francisco, and Washington, DC.
Seyfarth’s New York Office has maintained an annual Habitat for Humanity Team Build Day for nearly a decade. At one build event, volunteers assisted in rebuilding a home in Jamaica, Queens, that was formerly owned by the New York City Housing Authority and sold to Habitat for $1. The Seyfarth team helped with installing ceiling and floor boards, sanding, and transporting materials/supplies to the location site, among other tasks.
“Our teamwork and shared devotion to Habitat’s mission were evident throughout our enthusiastic completion of these strenuous tasks,” said Labor & Employment Partner Loren Gesinsky, who is based in our New York office.
Both of Seyfarth’s Los Angeles offices (Downtown and Century City) have also organized an annual event for the past several years. In 2019, 20 Seyfarth attorneys and staff from the Los Angeles offices participated in building a home in conjunction with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles. They helped with nearly every aspect of building the home, from raising a roof, putting up a wall, hammering what seemed like a million nails, using power tools, and painting. Volunteers also had the honor of meeting and working side-by-side with the recipient family, a single mother with four children, one of whom uses a wheelchair. Their house was completed with all ADA-compliant needs.
Community Service Awards
Each year we honor and celebrate individuals who go above and beyond to serve their communities. We have an Inspirational Leader award for those who motivate others to get involved and give back, and an Unsung Hero award for those who quietly make a difference.
2020
2020 Unsung Hero
Joanne McBride, Office Administrator (Boston)
2020 Unsung Hero
Amy Slyfield, Senior National Events Manager (Chicago)
2020 Inspirational Leader
Bailey Bifoss, Associate (Labor & Employment, San Francisco)
2019
2019 Unsung Hero
Kelly Curley, Paralegal (Real Estate, Boston)
Designated Charity: Rescuing Leftover Cuisine
2019 Unsung Hero
Annette Tyman, Partner (Labor & Employment, Chicago)
Designated Charity: The Lionheart Foundation
2019 Unsung Hero
Eric Wellers, Immigration Data Services Generalist (Labor & Employment, Boston)
Designated Charity: Downtown Boston Rotary Club
2019 Inspirational Leader
Brian Ashe, Partner (Labor & Employment, San Francisco)
Designated Charity: Best Buddies International
2018
2018 Unsung Hero
Kyle Hoover, Legal Project Manager - Lean Solutions (Chicago)
Designated Charity: Children’s Legal Center
2018 Inspirational Leader
Carole Deeter, Talent Development Coordinator (Chicago)
Designated Charity: Open Books
2017
2017 Unsung Hero
Marcus McCormick, Application Development Manager (Technology Services Group, Chicago)
Designated Charity: I.C. Stars
2017 Inspirational Leaders
Ephraim Pierre, Associate, Labor & Employment and Jeremy Cohen, Partner, Litigation (New York)
Designated Charity: Legal Outreach
Share Your Feedback
We would love to hear your feedback! Click the link below to share your comments.