Thursday, January 19, 2017 Civic Theater, 510 O'Keefe Avenue, New Orleans, LA
Pro Bono Awardees
Kathlyn Perez Bethune of Baker Donelson, and Elizabeth Rutledge
Andrew Capitelli of Milling Benson Woodword, LLP and Emma MeKinda of Koeppel Clark Turner
Social Justice Awardees
Hon. Stanwood Duval of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana
Dr. Stephen Hales of Hales Pediatrics
Charles L. Rice Jr. of Entergy New Orleans
EVENT SPONSORS
Diamond: Entergy; Helis Foundation
Gold: Adams and Reese, LLP; Gainsburgh, Benjamin, David, Meunier & Warshauer, LLC; Herman Herman & Katz, LLC; Jones Walker; Pan-American Life Insurance Group; Stone Pigman Walther Wittmann, LLC
Silver: Allison & Ben Tiller, Allient Advisors, LLC; Barrasso, Usdin, Kupperman, Freeman & Sarver, LLC; Fayard Law Firm, LLC; Huber, Slack, Thomas & Marcelle, LLP; IBERIABANK; Liskow & Lewis; Phelps Dunbar, LLP; Sher Garner Cahill Richter Klein & Hilbert, LLC; Stanley, Reuter, Ross, Thornton & Alford, LLC; Jeannine Sullivan
Bronze: Association of Corporate Counsel Louisiana Chapter; Baker Donelson; Celeste Coco-Ewing and Tom Ewing; Fishman, Haygood, Phelps, Walmsley, Willis & Swanson, LLP; Gold Weems Bruser Sues & Rundell, APLC; Hales Pediatrics; Mr. Stephen and the Hon. Karen Herman; Kean Miller LLP; LAJ through its sister non-profit entity Bayou Research Institute; Louisiana State Bar Association Pool Corporation; Ranier Law Firm, LLC; Rebecca Maisel and Nicky Sheldon; Regions Bank; Smith & Fawer, LLC; Taylor, Porter, Brooks & Phillips, LLP; Whitney Bank
PROGRAM
The 2017 Good Apple Gala honors “Good Apples,” seven outstanding community members who have shown tremendous generosity and commitment to social justice and pro bono excellence. Funds raised from the Gala help Louisiana Appleseed further our mission of advancing social justice by effecting change at the policy, or systemic, level, in order to increase access to education, opportunity and justice. It was a banner year for the Good Apple Gala, with the most people in attendance and the most funds raised in the history of our organization.
We are extremely grateful to the 2017 Good Apple Gala co-chairs, Christy Harowski and Jack Weiss, as well as the Gala Committee, Jessie Haynes, Kerry Murphy and Sharonda Williams. Louisiana Appleseed Executive Director Christy Kane and Board President Irving Warshauer spoke at the event.
AWARDEES – SOCIAL JUSTICE
Hon. Stanwood Duval of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana for increasing access to justice in Louisiana throughout his legal career, through his work as a prosecutor, defender and judge, and for supporting local nonprofits who work with homeless youth.
Dr. Stephen Hales of Hales Pediatrics for increasing access to education through his community service to strengthen and improve public charter schools, and for supporting Louisiana Appleseed’s programs to provide legal handbooks to charter school board members and administrators.
Charles L. Rice Jr. of Entergy New Orleans for increasing access to opportunity by serving the community by actively serving on many nonprofit boards, and for Entergy New Orleans’ support of Louisiana Appleseed’s initiative to preserve homeownership by assisting residents with obtaining clear title to their family homes.
AWARDEES – PRO BONO
Kathlyn Perez Bethune of Baker Donelson, and Elizabeth Rutledge, formerly of Baker Donelson, for strengthening our schools through their collaborative work on a legal handbook for charter school administrators, educating them about relevant laws and rules governing charter schools.
Andrew Capitelli of Milling Benson Woodword, LLP and Emma MeKinda of Koeppel Clark Turner for annually revising and updating the Emergency/Disaster Training Manual for Volunteer Lawyers, which serves as a valuable resource to attorneys who assist residents after disasters.