Immigration Law Pro Bono Award

HARRISBURG (May 18, 2017) — The Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) Immigration Law Pro Bono Award will be presented to York-based Pennsylvania Immigration Resource Center  (PIRC) on May 24 at the York Bar Association President’s Breakfast.

The award, which is sponsored by the business immigration law firm of Green and Spiegel LLC, was created to annually recognize the pro bono accomplishments of an individual or organization working with the PBA in the area of immigration law.  The award is given to individuals or organizations that have provided a unique service resulting in a significant provision of legal services to the neediest of foreign nationals on a pro bono basis or as part of legal aid outreach. The winners are selected in consultation with PBA leadership.

Founded in 1996, PIRC works to provide free access to justice for vulnerable immigrants in detention and in the community through legal services assistance, education and advocacy, protecting their rights to freedom and opportunity in the United States. PIRC does this through educating immigrants in detention and in the community about their legal options; direct representation and coordination of pro bono legal assistance and pro se assistance; and advocating for greater capacity and systems change through language access assistance, partnerships with law schools and universities, and legal training and education.

“In this time of great upheaval for the immigration community, PIRC provides hope to immigrants and their families facing grave challenges within our system,” said Jonathan Grode, a partner at Green and Spiegel LLC, who will be presenting the award to PIRC. 

“PIRC is honored to be the 2016 recipient of the Pennsylvania Bar Association Immigration Law Pro Bono Award,” said Mary Studzinski, executive director of PIRC. “We are fortunate to work alongside many talented pro bono attorneys, volunteers and staff from other nonprofits, who bring their talent and passion to serving the most vulnerable immigrants among us. We are grateful that, in this time of increased need for our services, PIRC’s work to ensure access to justice and due process for all persons is recognized.”

Green and Spiegel has made a donation of $1,500 in honor of PIRC to the Pennsylvania Bar Foundation, the charitable affiliate of the PBA, to benefit the PBA Pro Bono Office.

Founded in 1895, the Pennsylvania Bar Association strives to promote justice, professional excellence and respect for the law; improve public understanding of the legal system; facilitate access to legal services; and serve the 27,000 lawyers who are members of the association.