Awards

Farella Recognized By
Pro Bono Institute

For its efforts and dedication to the community, in 2005, Farella was specially recognized by the Pro Bono Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to identifying and exploring new approaches to providing legal services for the poor, disadvantaged and other groups who cannot readily obtain legal assistance. A team of Farella lawyers is featured in a Pro Bono Institute video demonstrating how firms can make a positive impact through pro bono. To accept the award, the firm sent associate Erica Villanueva, who was one of the attorneys featured in the video, to the dinner ceremony in New York City.

A History Of Service: Founding Partner Jerry Braun Honored By The Ninth Circuit.

Entering the office of founding partner Jerry Braun, you will find the bust of Abraham Lincoln prominently featured on the credenza behind his desk. Ask him why it’s there and he will tell you that justice and equality have always been paramount concerns and the cornerstone of his 40-plus year practice. Like his fellow founding partners, Jerry has always put great importance on service. Paraphrasing Winston Churchill, he observes, “we make a living by what we earn. We make a life by what we give.”

Throughout his career, Jerry has been a great example to his colleagues on how to do your best at work and still have enough left to give something back. He has served as an arbitrator, mediator and as a special master for the federal court. He is a former member and chair of the Ninth Circuit Senior Advisory Board, and is a member and past president of the Ninth Judicial Circuit Historical Society, where he raised most of the funds for the youth-directed biography of the late Judge Cecil Poole, “A Life in the Law.” He is a past president of the California Academy of Appellate Lawyers and a former trustee of the San Francisco Bar Foundation. He chaired a special bar association committee that studied the question of whether the Ninth Circuit should be split and was vocal in his opposition to any division of the court.

His community contributions include serving as an officer and a director of The Other Bar, an organization designed to help alcoholics in the legal profession. He also is the founder, president and co-director of The Other Road Foundation, a non-profit group that underwrites treatment for recovering alcoholics. He has served as a director of the San Francisco Jewish Home for the Aged, Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds, and as past president and director for life of the Jewish Community Federation.

Jerry’s service to the legal community was acknowledged in July 2005 when he was awarded the Ninth Circuit’s John P. Frank Award, recognizing an outstanding lawyer practicing in the federal courts of the western United States. The award is named for the late John P. Frank of Arizona, a renowned attorney, author, law professor, civil liberties advocate and legal historian.

“Jerry Braun’s accomplishments as a lawyer and mentor are legendary, as are his contributions to the legal community, and the courts. His enthusiasm is boundless and he is very deserving of this recognition,” said Ninth Circuit Chief Judge Mary M. Schroeder.

We echo Judge Schroeder’s sentiments completely.