The Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia has named Dechert’s Philadelphia office as the recipient of its 2012 Thaddeus Stevens Award. This award honors an individual or organization whose actions best illustrate the Law Center’s mission: using high- impact legal strategies to improve the well-being and life prospects of the Philadelphia region’s most vulnerable populations by ensuring that they have access to the resources we all need to live our lives: education, healthcare, housing, employment, a safe and healthy neighborhood, and the right to vote.

The Law Center is particularly grateful for the outstanding pro bono work Dechert has done to handle a civil rights case involving tour bus companies being discriminated against based on race, challenge the Philadelphia School District for its policy of transferring students with autism between schools based solely on their disability, represent individual children with disabilities in special education proceedings, and provide nonprofit guidance for low income community groups and for the Law Center itself.

“The many Dechert lawyers with whom we have worked over the years combine a generosity of spirit with the highest quality legal minds; they bring honor and credit to the legal profession and they have helped literally thousands of vulnerable people live better lives,” says Law Center Executive Director and former Dechert partner, Jennifer R. Clarke.

“We value our relationship with the Law Center and we are proud of the efforts of our former partner Jenny Clarke,” said Dechert CEO Daniel O’Donnell. “We thank the Law Center for this award and we look forward to continuing our pro bono work with such an outstanding organization.”

The award was presented during the 2012 Social Justice Gala: Progress through Partnerships at the Down Town Club in Philadelphia on October 11, 2012.