In his thirteen years as a practicing attorney, Theodore “T.R.” Lazo had never handled a pro bono matter. Having spent seven years at the SEC before joining Morgan Lewis, he says he “kept meaning to sign up,” but the timing was never right. Everything fell into place this spring, when Morgan Lewis joined DLA Piper and Robins Kaplan Miller & Ciresi to staff the Law Firm Clinic on April 25. The Pro Bono Program provided the structure and support for T.R. to feel comfortable representing his first pro bono client. 

T.R. agreed to represent JF, a twenty seven-year-old father of one in a custody matter. He reports that his experience has been “terrific.” It’s certainly a change of pace for an attorney whose practice has generally focused on the regulation of broker-dealers and securities markets. T.R. notes that in his day to day work, he does not have the opportunity to “get involved with the human side of things” or see how the law really works in people’s lives. The case has presented some challenges, many of which stem from JF’s ongoing struggle with serious mental illness, but T.R. has remained incredibly patient and sensitive. He notes that his client “didn’t have anyone on his side” and really just “needed someone in his corner.”

“Attorneys like T.R. are the reason the Pro Bono Program is so successful in serving individuals and families who desperately need legal representation, but who are unable to afford paid counsel,” says Assistant Director Mark Herzog.  “We all are so impressed with T.R. His client had an incredibly difficult case, and his mental health issues made him challenging to work with. But, T.R. demonstrated a tremendous amount of skillful lawyering – and an unbelievable amount of compassion and patience – which ultimately led to the right result. We’re really proud of him.”