On September 16, Nelson Mullins marked a truly momentous occasion—our 35th Anniversary Pro Bono Celebration at the firm’s Columbia headquarters. This milestone event honored both the visionaries who founded the Pro Bono Program and the attorneys and community partners who have had lasting impacts on its growth and legacy.

Since its inception, the Nelson Mullins Pro Bono Program has been a cornerstone of the firm’s identity, advancing justice in areas where our lawyers could make the greatest difference—juvenile justice and education, criminal justice and prison reform, community revitalization, and specialized initiatives for vulnerable populations.

The celebration highlighted the transformative results of this work, from securing education rights for rural students and improving prison conditions, to freeing the wrongfully convicted and building affordable housing for families and seniors.

Speakers shared stories of landmark cases and initiatives that shaped the program’s trajectory and created meaningful outcomes. We are deeply grateful to these distinguished voices:

• Stuart Andrews, Retired Litigation Partner
• Carl Epps, Retired Litigation Partner
• Taylor Tapley Daly, Retired Litigation Partner
• Michael Waller, Executive Director, Georgia Appleseed Center for Law & Justice
• Dan Westbrook, Retired Litigation Partner
• James Rollins, Litigation and Corporate Partner
• Kristin Verrill, Executive Director, Georgia Innocence Project
• Andy Litvak, Real Estate Partner
• Randy Saunders, Economic Development Partner
• Dell Chappell, Litigation Partner
• Blake Williams, Litigation Partner
• Matt Abee, Litigation Partner
• Chris Genovese, Litigation Partner

A special highlight of the evening was the surprise recognition of Norah Cooney Rogers, our longstanding firmwide Pro Bono Manager, with the Enduring Impact in Pro Bono Leadership Award. From the program’s inception to its present reach, Norah has been its heart and anchor—guiding its growth, keeping it grounded in service, and tirelessly pursuing justice, service, and transformative impact.