Sanctuary for Families presented Davis Polk with the 2008 Abely Pro Bono Award at the Twelfth Annual Abely Awards Ceremony in September 2008. The Abely Pro Bono Award recognizes the contributions of extraordinarily dedicated lawyers and staff who have worked to improve the lives of Sanctuary's clients and honors Maryellen Abely, one of Sanctuary's first pro bono attorneys. Maryellen Abely, an associate at Davis Polk from 1988 to 1995, died in 1995 after a long battle with cancer. The Abely Award Ceremony celebrates Maryellen Abely's life and the contributions of pro bono lawyers, law students and legal assistants, whose efforts enable Sanctuary for Families to serve thousands of victims of domestic violence each year.
Davis Polk is one of the charter firms in Project L.I.F.E., the mayor’s initiative to provide pro bono counsel to battered women who are seeking divorces or protection from their batterers. As part of this initiative, we maintain an ongoing docket of contested and uncontested divorce cases on behalf of battered women. We also handle family law matters (custody, orders of protection and visitation) on behalf of victims of domestic violence and their children. Our clients are referred by inMotion, Sanctuary for Families and various neighborhood legal services offices.
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