Social Responsibility

Nossaman's longstanding commitment to making a positive difference in the world is central to our values and the core of who we are as a law firm. We are redesigning the way we work and live, making sustainability an essential part of everything we do. From our community involvement and pro bono work, to diversity initiatives and environmentally-friendly practices, our efforts generate long-term value for our people, clients, and communities.

Pro Bono

Nossaman's philosophy is to employ the unique talents of the Firm to provide pro bono legal services to individuals and organizations that cannot afford representation.  Our attorneys and staff are involved in pro bono matters ranging from civil rights litigation and youth organizations, to national volunteer organizations. Our Pro Bono Committee encourages Firm members to pursue their own areas of interest and supports these efforts by matching community needs with Firm resources.

The many examples of Nossaman's pro bono legal work include:

• Providing public policy counsel to the non-profit organization MyGoodDeed.org, whose mission is to honor the anniversary of 9/11 as a national day of volunteer service. Nossaman is assisting MyGoodDeed.org leaders in organizing events surrounding the 10th anniversary of 9/11, including a recent event to help stitch the National 9/11 Flag that was damaged in the aftermath of the collapse of the World Trade Center nearly a decade ago.
  
• Providing employment law services to The Children's Clinic, a non-profit that offers healthcare services to children among low income and high-risk populations in Long Beach, CA and the South Bay.
• Providing the leasing work for the headquarters of Juma Ventures, a non-profit youth development program based in San Francisco, CA that helps more than 200 disadvantaged young people a year reach their goals of attaining a college education.
• Donating legal services to the Santa Monica Playhouse, a local non-profit theater in Southern California, providing educational programming for kids, teens, and adults and community outreach.

For additional information, contact Henry Weinstock, Chair of Nossaman's Pro Bono Committee.

Community Involvement

As a Firm and on an individual basis, we have dedicated ourselves to giving back to the communities in which we work. From canned food and coat drives to coaching soccer for special needs kids, we are working hard to make a difference.

Examples of how our time is spent outside of the office include:

• Chairing the board of Refugee Transitions, a non-profit that provides services to refugees and asylees in the San Francisco Bay area.
• Making blankets for veterans at the Sacramento Veterans Hospital, as part of the Soldiers' Angels organization.
• Participating as a board member of the Unity Council, a non-profit, community development organization in Oakland, CA that helped develop one of the country's first transit villages.
• Serving as Treasurer of Education Through Music - Los Angeles, a charitable organization that provides and promotes the integration of music into the curricula of disadvantaged schools to enhance students' academic performance and creative and general development.
• Participating in the Adopt-A-Family Program run by the Salvation Army, giving gifts of food, clothing, toys and other items from a family's "wish list."
• Riding in the Aids LifeCycle, a 545 mile, 7-day bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles that raises funds to provide critical services to people living with HIV and AIDS.
• Serving as board President of Bethany Center Senior Housing, Inc., a low-income senior housing building in the Mission District of San Francisco that is in the process of rolling out a new arts education program.

Environmental Sustainability

A significant component of Nossaman's dedication to social responsibility is our commitment to conserving the natural resources and energy used by the Firm, and to conduct our business in an environmentally sustainable manner. Our efforts were recognized in 2009 when we were acknowledged as an ABA EPA Climate Challenge Partner.

We established an internal Green Task Force in 2008. This initiative researched, reviewed, and recommended green practices to Firm management. Together, with the input and support of attorneys and staff, we are developing a firm wide environment and sustainability policy. To date, we have implemented several green initiatives including:

• Reducing paper use through improved print management.
• Reducing energy and electricity use.
• Improving a reuse and recycling program.
• Purchasing green products.
• Providing filtered water and eco-friendly reusable bottles to employees.
• Incorporating environmentally-friendly travel options.

We also encourage all employees to provide additional environmentally-friendly ideas or initiatives to our Green Task Force.