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In 2020, Jenner & Block lawyers dedicated more than 7,000 hours to pro bono work that helped individuals, groups, and non-profit organizations. Our lawyers assisted not only in the courtroom, but in the beginning stages of forming companies that continue to give back to the community. We were honored to help organizations, including non-profits, continue their impactful work.

Students Launch Tutoring Service, Firm Helps the Non-Profit Prosper

Two Walter Payton High School students, Rem Johannknecht and Lucy Gold, launched a free virtual tutoring service they called Connecting Chicago in March 2020 in response to school closures due to COVID-19.

In April, Rem reached out to Jenner & Block’s Director of Office Services Kelly Sassi for a recommendation of a lawyer who could help establish Connecting Chicago Inc. as a non-profit 501(c)(3). Kelly brought this request to the attention of the firm’s co-managing partners, Randy Mehrberg and Katya Jestin, who immediately agreed to have Jenner & Block support this group. Partner Gail Morse and Associate Sharon Moraes came to Rem’s aid.

Gail guided the Connecting Chicago team through the process of forming their company, including through drafting their by-laws and charter, obtaining an EIN, and submitting their application for tax-exempt status. And, as Kelly, Gail, and Sharon met virtually with the Connecting Chicago team, they became inspired and sought to assist the team beyond these initial steps.

Connecting Chicago is a unique corporation, with minors as founders, board members, and students as volunteers. But the founders faced legal questions and challenges. For example, Sharon researched Illinois corporate law regarding the roles minors may have in corporations. This helped confirm that both Rem and Lucy could hold board positions in the company they created, even though only adults would be able to legally bind the company in contracts.

Partner Joe Torres helped Connecting Chicago navigate the legal framework involved with child labor laws and working with children; Partner David Saunders assisted from a privacy perspective and helped Connecting Chicago determine the consent they needed to seek to record tutoring sessions; and Partner David Singer helped draft a media release form that provided Connecting Chicago with the right to advertise success stories with videos, images, or other descriptions of their work. Together, the team provided the comfort that Rem and Lucy needed, knowing they would continue with their great work without running into any legal issues.

As Connecting Chicago’s program grew, and their services reached more Chicagoans, the firm helped them formalize their intake process, efficiently sign up more volunteers, and obtain consent forms from those seeking assistance. Connecting Chicago has grown to 500 tutors, and they have helped over 1,000 Chicago students with tutoring and Individualized Education Programs for grades kindergarten through 12.

Captain Terrence Miles and his students repair violins for inner-city music programs

Non-Profit Teaches Students the Art of Violin Repair

Captain Terrence Miles, a retired jumbo jet air freighter pilot, had an idea: combine his passion for helping youth with his knowledge and skills in aerospace mechanics and music instrumentality, and do so in a way that raises awareness about the inequities in access to strong music education.

Acting on that idea, Captain Miles partnered with his high school alma mater, St. Ignatius College Prep, and began working to teach students the art of violin repair so that those repaired violins could then be distributed to under-served inner city music programs. The program – StringWizards – began to garner attention. Captain Miles turned to Jenner & Block for assistance in helping to formally organize StringWizards as an Illinois not-for-profit corporation and tax-exempt organization.

Partner Terry Truax and Legal Assistant Robin Ustanik took the lead in helping StringWizards with these important early organizing steps. The core mission of StringWizards is clear: regardless of the ability to pay, StringWizards believes that all children should have access to learn to play a musical instrument in the primary grades. When talent and interest is there, further musical pursuit should not be denied as a consequence of family income. Captain Miles, with assistance from the Jenner & Block team, set up StringWizards to make this happen.

Firm Guides Association of Law Firm Diversity Professionals on Corporate Matters

The firm represented the Association of Law Firm Diversity Professionals (ALFDP) with several corporate matters in 2020, supporting ALFDP in its mission to act as a catalyst for the advancement of diversity and inclusion in the legal profession. Partners Don Batterson and Miwa Shoda led the team, with support from visiting attorneys Reina Fujita and Nobuaki Yone. In February 2020, ALFDP reached out to Jenner & Block for assistance with reviewing and updating their bylaws. The team helped them. They also provided answers to the association’s questions about procedures, such as how to conduct their annual meetings via online meeting tools and how to address director vacancies. In addition, Don and Miwa also assisted ALFDP in reviewing and marking up a licensing agreement and relevant agreements with a software vendor. It was substantial and relatively complicated work, but they worked with ALFDP closely to protect its interests.

Founded in 2006, ALFDP is a not-for-profit organization that provides networking and learning opportunities for diversity and inclusion professionals in law firms. The association participates in national conferences and meetings, bringing together diversity and inclusion experts in diversity training, legal issues, professional development, and more. Members receive mentoring, gain access to information and continuing education materials, and have the opportunity to give and receive advice through its members-only website and conference calls. Courtney Carter, Jenner & Block’s Director of Diversity and Inclusion, serves on ALFDP’s board.

Team Helps Healthy Eating Non-Profit Strengthen the Delivery of its Services

The firm counseled Purple Asparagus as it explored a strategic alliance that would strengthen the delivery of its healthy eating programming.

Purple Asparagus educates children, families, and the community about eating that’s good for the body and the planet. Its flagship program, “Delicious Nutritious Adventures,” brings healthy foods to life for elementary school children in Chicagoland schools. Partner Gail H. Morse and Associates William R. Erlain and Rita L. Feikema were happy to help sow the seeds to help Purple Asparagus grow.

COVID-19 presented challenges. Like many, Purple Asparagus and the firm team shifted focus to find another home for the programming and ultimately entered into an agreement with another Chicago-based non-profit that will strengthen the delivery of all Purple Asparagus programs.

Team Successfully Challenges Tax Assessment

A team obtained a victory for a client in a dispute with the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDR) over alleged unpaid taxes and a six-figure penalty. The president of a successful family-owned-and-operated company, our client suffered two brain hemorrhages in 2004. After receiving life-saving surgery, he was left incapacitated and unable to work. Due to mismanagement of the company during his illness and recovery, the company failed to make payroll tax deposits to the State of Illinois. Fast forward to 2018 – our client received a “Collection Action” letter stating that he was personally liable for the unpaid tax, interest from 2004 through 2006, and penalties amounting to nearly $140,000. After failed negotiation attempts, our client contacted Jenner & Block, and Partner Gail Morse and Litigation Counsel Andrew Hoeg took on the case challenging the tax assessment. IDR refused to back down and doggedly pursued its case through a lengthy discovery process that ultimately confirmed our client’s lack of liability. After two years, IDR finally agreed to dismiss the case in 2020.