The 2014 Community Impact Awards: Pro Bono Services

WINNER

ARRYVE

Bellevue

Bellevue-based ARRYVE provides management consulting services to some of the worlds premier companies, but its the focus on future readiness that sets it apart. Arryve cofounders Chris Smith and Chris Stephenson arent satisfied with the status quo in business, so it makes sense that their charitable efforts would break the mold as well.

Consulting firms often rely on a three-pronged approach to corporate citizenship: one part charitable contributions, one part sponsorships and one part volunteer efforts. In 2013, Arryve partnered with five area nonprofits, working as closely with them as with its paying clients. Throughout the year, Arryve staffers joined with the partner organizations to create specific initiatives with lasting and sustainable value.

The nonprofit partners International Community Health Services, Snohomish Education Foundation, Rebuilding Together Seattle, Friends of Youth and Treehouse received a total of 1,739 pro bono hours of consulting services. Thats an average of nearly 30 hours per Arryve employee, and the equivalent of $250,000 in billable hours.

Our pro bono work generates a deeper understanding of the discipline of consulting, says Smith. Taking on a pro bono engagement means stepping into unique organizational cultures without the same resources a large company has to offer, stretching skills and navigating toward results with a heightened sense of purpose.

The program was a runaway success for all involved, so much so that Arryve is working with six new nonprofit partners in 2014.

SILVER AWARDS

Davis Wright Tremaine

Seattle

In 2005, the attorneys and staffers at Davis Wright Tremaine recognized the dire need for pro bono legal services among patients and families at Seattle Childrens Odessa Brown Childrens Clinic and at Harborview Medical Centers Pediatric Clinic. At the time, 90 to 95 percent of clients served by these clinics were from low-income families, and many desperately needed legal assistance. Davis Wright Tremaine helped create the Washington Medical-Legal Partnership (MLP), providing free legal services, board participation, sponsorships and fundraising for the organization. The results have been incredible: Since 2008, MLP has provided direct legal assistance to 2,200 individuals.

Dorsey & Whitney

Seattle

Dorsey & Whitney was one of the original signatory law firms in the Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge, which was created in 1993. Participating firms strive to commit a minimum of 3 percent of billable hours to pro bono causes. Dorsey & Whitneys Seattle office, which provides comprehensive legal services and specializes in complex cross-border transactions, has met or exceeded the Pro Bono Challenge in five of the past six years. In 2013, the Seattle office devoted 2,633 hours to pro bono services ranging from human rights to housing for low-income individuals.