The Community Economic Development Law Project has been helping to build fruitful relationships between Chicago’s volunteer attorneys and community groups for years. And some of these relationships blossom even when the original project withers.
In 2008, David Shapiro, a partner with Latham & Watkins in Chicago, volunteered through the Community Economic Development Law Project to provide pro bono legal assistance to the GRANDFamilies Program of Chicago, an organization devoted to improving the lives of grandparents raising grandchildren.
The original real estate matter involved working with a local community bank that planned to donate land to GRANDFamilies for future housing development. Unfortunately, the bank folded and the land was never donated. Mr. Shapiro’s commitment to GRANDfamilies, though, persisted, and when Latham & Watkins launched its “Moving Forward By Giving Back” program in 2009 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the firm, Latham’s Chicago office chose to continue to support GRANDFamilies. Shapiro and GRANDFamilies once again found themselves working together.
This relationship resulted in tremendous benefits to GRANDFamilies. Shapiro now serves as Treasurer of the GRANDFamilies board of directors, and GRANDFamilies Executive Director Linette Kinchen describes Shapiro as a “wonderful, supportive board member” who has been “instrumental in enlisting others to support the organization.” In fact, with Shapiro’s support Latham & Watkins provided GRANDFamilies with summer camp scholarships, helped organize new fundraisers, and donated a variety of in-kind services .
To express her gratitude, Kinchen calls Shapiro her organization’s “unsung hero” and gives thanks to the Community Economic Development Law Project and to Latham & Watkins for sharing him with GRANDFamilies.