UB Public Interest Law Students to Hold Fundraising Auction Feb. 9
January 18, 2007
Contact: University Relations
Phone: 410.837.5739
Charles O. Monk II, managing partner of Saul Ewing's Baltimore office, will receive the Robert M. Bell Award for Leadership in Public Service during a special ceremony on Friday, Feb. 9 at 6 p.m. The event, part of the 13th annual silent and live auction to benefit UB Students for Public Interest Law, will take place at the Belvedere, 1 E. Chase St. in Baltimore, from 6-10 p.m. The award ceremony and auction are presented by the University of Baltimore School of Law.
Monk will be honored for his work in establishing Saul Ewing's commitment to pro bono work through an initiative known as "We’re All In." This innovative program involves all of the firm’s 280 attorneys across eight offices in four states and the District of Columbia, each of whom pledges to donate at least 25 hours of pro bono legal services every year. The firm has directed much of its work toward an underserved population, veterans and the elderly, and as a result of the program, its pro bono participation rate jumped from 20 percent in 2004 to 99 percent in 2005. It is expected to be at 100 percent when 2006 totals are reported.
A native of Baltimore, Monk serves on several charitable, civic and cultural organizations. He is chair of the Greater Baltimore Committee's Public Safety and Legal Affairs Committee, president of the board at his alma mater, McDonogh School, and is vice chair and treasurer for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. For each of these organizations, he provides free legal advice in multiple areas. Monk is an active supporter of the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service Partners Club, which offers pro bono legal services to Maryland’s working poor.
The UBSPI auction benefits UB students in public interest law who undertake summer fellowships.
The auction entry cost—$20 general admission and $10 for UB students, with tables for 10 available for $175—includes the opportunity to bid on items such as outings with professors and faculty, works by local artists and artisans, tickets to sports and theater events, rounds of golf and dozens more unusual and original items and services.
Proceeds from the auction will fund summer grants that enable UB law students to work for public interest organizations, including the Maryland Disability Law Center, the Maryland Crime Victims' Resource Center, the Legal Aid Bureau, the Office of the Public Defender for Prince George's County, the Homeless Persons Representation Project and numerous others.
For more than a decade, UBSPI has given grants to students who help the less fortunate and underprivileged obtain equal representation in the justice system. With decreases in legal aid services and dramatic increases in the cost of legal education, this bridge benefits both the students and the community.
As a feature of this year's event, UB School of Law Dean Gilbert Holmes will personally match all bids for items that he contributes to the auction.
Cocktails and light hors d'oeuvres will be available at the event. For more information or to make a reservation, call 410.837.5671 or e-mail ubspi@hotmail.com.
The University of Baltimore is a member of the University System of Maryland and comprises the School of Law, the Yale Gordon College of Liberal Arts and the Merrick School of Business.