The law firms are doing their best to protect the health and safety of their employees.
The post California Biglaw Firms Rally To Support Colleagues, Communities Devastated By Wildfires appeared first on Above the Law.
(Photo by ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images)
Southern California continues to be ravaged by life-threatening wildfires, and Biglaw firms across the region are banding together to support fellow attorneys and staff members who have lost everything, as well as members of their local communities and first responders. At this time, more than 12,000 homes have been destroyed, nearly 200,000 people have been displaced, and the death toll related to the fires has risen to 24.
Firms within the Santa Monica evacuation zone have closed their doors — including Cooley, Cozen O’Connor, Goodwin Procter, and Orrick. Michael Heller, executive chairman of Cozen O’Connor, noted in a statement that “several … colleagues have lost their homes,” and that the firm is “trying to work out the best ways we can help them.”
Firms located in downtown Los Angeles, Century City, and eastern Santa Monica have remained open — including Latham & Watkins, Paul Hastings, Sheppard Mullin, Sidley Austin, Morgan Lewis & Bockius, Manatt Phelps & Phillips, Greenberg Traurig, and Gordon Rees — allowing for remote work due to poor air quality.
According to The Recorder, Paul Hastings is making its downtown Los Angeles office available those who have been displaced by the fires and suppling essential items. The firm is also covering expenses for evacuees, and offering expanded benefits, including childcare coverage. On top of that, a spokesperson says that firm employees in Orange County and San Diego have “generously offered to welcome impacted families and/or pets into their homes during this time of immediate need.” Munger Tolles has provided a resource list to employees, as well as family-sized meals.
Other firms are doing the best they can to assist their communities during this unprecedented natural disaster. From The Recorder:
Greenberg Traurig instructed employees to limit non-critical travel to avoid contributing to congestion on the roadways, a spokesperson said, adding that the firm activated an employee emergency fund to assist displaced employees and began soliciting donations for local organizations. “We are collecting and delivering children’s clothes, shoes, toys, books, diapers, and other supplies to assist local relief efforts,” the spokesperson said. “In addition, the firm is providing meals and other assistance to support our emergency responders who continue to serve our community heroically.”
Jeff Bjork, the managing partner of Latham’s Los Angeles offices, expressed the firm’s profound gratitude to the “brave firefighters and emergency responders tirelessly working to contain the fires,” Bjork said. “We are humbled by the incredible resilience being shown by our Los Angeles colleagues in the face of such destruction, as well as the outpouring of compassion and support from the Latham community worldwide.”
What is your law firm doing to assist those in need? You can text (646-820-8477) or email and let us know.
We here at Above the Law extend our thoughts to all law firm attorneys and staff members affected by the raging wildfires in California. Please be safe.
Many LA County Law Firms Remain Open, Mobilize to Support Affected Employees Amid Historic Firestorm [The Recorder]
Staci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Bluesky, X/Twitter, and Threads, or connect with her on LinkedIn.
