Reed Smith has been named a Pro Bono Partner of the Year by the Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund (TLDEF), an organization that works to end discrimination based on gender identity and expression and uses public education, litigation, legal services and lobbying to achieve equality for transgender people.
Reed Smith partner Alan York accepted the TLDEF award on behalf of the law firm on Sept. 26 at a ceremony in New York City. York is Reed Smith’s new global chair of diversity, equity and inclusion and previously served as chair of the firm’s LGBTQ+ business inclusion group.
Earlier this month, Reed Smith pro bono lawyers working with TLDEF (including partner Patrick Yingling and associate Zack Roman) successfully removed legal barriers under Pennsylvania law that were preventing a transgender client with a felony conviction from achieving a name change. Additionally, York, who is based in Houston, is working to bring TLDEF’s Name Change Project to Texas.
Asked about this honor, York stated “As a legal profession, we have an obligation to step in to protect those in our society most in need of assistance and support. Reed Smith is proud to partner with TLDEF to do just that.”
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