The Portland Business Journal recognized Stoll Berne as the top philanthropist company in Portland for the 2018 financial year in the Small Company Category.
The firm contributed both money and employee hours to many local charitable and nonprofit causes in 2018 including: Jewish Federation of Greater Portland, Brian Grant Foundation, St. Mary’s Home for Boys, Arab American Cultural Center of Oregon, Dream Factory of Oregon and many others.
Stoll Berne has been a major contributor to the Campaign for Equal Justice since its founding and has consistently been listed as a Guardian of Justice which is comprised of firms that give an average of $1000 or more per attorney. CEJ Executive Director May Crawford Peacock said:
“Stoll Berne’s leadership as a long-term Guardian of Justice Firm has been important to the continued provision of legal aid services in Oregon.”
At Stoll Berne, practicing law is just part of our job – our purpose is much greater. The firm encourages generosity, volunteerism, community involvement, and sustainability. And we practice what we preach.
For example, Stoll Berne attorneys Gary Berne, Tim DeJong, and Keith Ketterling volunteered with the Southern Immigrant Freedom Initiative (SIFI) of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) in Lumpkin, Georgia, helping immigrant families by interviewing detainees and providing legal services to assist them when they qualified for release on bond or parole. To learn more about our work, click here.
“Stoll Berne stepped up to collaborate with SPLC and SIFI in our work to protect the rights of immigrants detained in some of the worst conditions and one of the most hostile jurisdictions in the United States. We will be forever grateful for the talent, hard work and selfless dedication the attorneys of Stoll Berne brought to this important cause,”
said Peter Isbister, Senior Lead Attorney with SIFI and SPLC.
Additionally, the firm assisted immigrants who were detained in Sheridan, Oregon. Working with the ACLU of Oregon and the Innovation Law Lab, the firm worked with 80 detained immigrants; all but two of them were found to have a positive credible fear of harm which allowed them to be released from detention while pursuing their asylum claims. To learn more about our work, click here.
Regina Ellis, Founder/CEO of the Children’s Cancer Association commented:
“We have relied on Stoll Berne to provide practical solutions to complex challenges. The Stoll Berne team is equipped with experience and institutional knowledge to act as strategic and legal advisors. We are proud to be among the organizations you serve improving our community and the lives of others. Congratulations on receiving the 2019 Portland Business Journal’s prestigious award in community philanthropy.”
“The firm is honored to receive this award. It’s part of who we are and why we do what we do” said Stoll Berne Co-managing Shareholder Jen Wagner.
To learn more about the Portland Business Journal’s Corporate Philanthropy Awards and to read the firm’s article, click here.