Jacoby Donner proudly provides free legal representation to indigent individuals and non-profit entities that serve the public interest. We also serve in advisory and official capacities for civic foundations and community-focused entities.

Civic and Community Associations. Jacoby Donner actively serves with and advises regional non-profits devoted to helping the community. Chairman Henry J. Donner has been honored by the Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis Education Association for his contribution of construction law advice for development of a new facility in Philadelphia’s East Falls.

Shareholder B. Christopher Lee serves in official and advisory capacities with the Philadelphia Charter High School for Architecture and Design (CHAD). CHAD is a tuition-free public charter school created in large part by the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the General Building Contractors Association (GBCA). Currently, Mr. Lee is the President of CHAD’s Designing Futures Foundation.

In addition, Shareholder Eric Diaz works with the Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to support Philadelphia's growing Hispanic community. Mr. Diaz is also the Chief Operating Officer of the Global Indian Chamber of Commerce, a 20,000 member non-profit organization dedicated to promoting trade relationships between India and the United States.

Similarly, Paralegal MaryEllen Daley serves on the Board of Directors for The Legal Clinic for the Disabled. The Legal Clinic is a non-profit organization that provides free legal services and assistance to low-income individuals with physical disabilities. Ms. Daley has held the position for several years.

Pro Bono Advocacy Jacoby Donner also works with Philadelphia Volunteers for the Indigent Project (VIP), the hub of pro bono legal services in Philadelphia for decades, and other legal services organizations to provide direct representation to the less fortunate. We represent juveniles, retirees, immigrants, prisoners and others in need through various levels of advocacy – including litigation in court and before administrative law judges.

Recently, for instance, on behalf of a state prisoner Jacoby Donner successfully litigated a First Amendment Civil Rights case in U.S. District Court. Associate Liam Y. Braber and Senior Counsel Christopher I. McCabe represented the prisoner, who claimed that prison officials confiscated her legal preparation materials and locked her in solitary confinement to keep her from filing a civil rights complaint. Working in cooperation with the ACLU of Delaware, we secured a favorable settlement that included refining corrections policy to protect prisoner legal materials in the future.

Other pro bono advocacy includes handling cases on behalf of underprivileged juveniles in the region. For example, in 2008, Associate Liam Y. Braber successfully secured lawful permanent residence on behalf of a juvenile immigrant who was the victim of child smuggling and abuse. Braber has also represented juveniles at various stages of the criminal justice system, including challenges to improper arrests and expungement of erroneous criminal records.

Law Student Mentoring Since 2005, Jacoby Donner has volunteered with the award-winning Lawyering Together Program sponsored by Villanova University School of Law’s Public Interest Department. The program assigns two law students to each pro bono matter, who are supervised by an experienced attorney handling the case. Associate Liam Y. Braber leads the team, and has supervised many groups of students through investigation, research, and preparation of various cases. The program allows Jacoby Donner to dually provide free legal representation to those in need and real-case instruction to future lawyers.

These are but a few examples of the wide range of matters that Jacoby Donner has undertaken in the interest of serving the community at large. There are many others. We have served as field attorneys and team leaders with Philadelphia’s non-partisan election watchdog, The Committee of 70. We have helped community organizations secure zoning approvals. We have handled Freedom of Information Act requests for voting records on behalf of groups dedicated to fair and honest electronic voting standards.

Jacoby Donner provides the community with high-impact and high-energy representation.