The Children’s Law Center (CLC) selected Bates White as one of its four Champions for Children winners for the seventh consecutive year. Bates White has won every corporate champion award since the title’s inception in 2017. The award honors Bates White’s commitment to supporting CLC, which helps strengthen families and drive positive health and education outcomes for DC children.
“Bates White’s steadfast partnership has provided financial and pro bono support to help Children’s Law Center reach thousands of children and families each year with direct individual advocacy,” said CLC’s Executive Director Judith Sandalow. “The firm has also been a key partner in supporting our new legal strategies aimed at systemic reforms in healthy housing and education that will benefit tens of thousands more DC children.”
To raise funds for CLC, Bates White teams competed in a Not-So-Newlywed game and a Jenga trivia game as part of a Thanks-for-Giving bonanza at the end of the year, in addition to participating in the annual Holiday Hope Drive, with employees “adopting” three children from different families and donating presents and gift cards, including grocery gift cards. In 2023, Bates White raised more than $47,800 for CLC.
Bates White employees have also applied their professional expertise to many innovative legal projects with Children’s Law Center, including one aimed at ensuring transportation issues don’t increase the barriers that students with disabilities face in accessing education.
“We are incredibly proud of our employees’ commitment to serving the community, especially the passion, creativity, and generosity they bring to both fundraising and pro bono work,” said Scott Weishaar, Bates White’s Managing Partner. “Working with CLC gives our employees tremendous opportunities to make a transformative impact on our local community.”
Principal Ben Wolfert, a CLC Board member, coordinates the firm’s support for CLC. “It is again an honor to be recognized by CLC for our support. But even more exciting to me are the ways in which we have been able to deepen our relationship over the last year. We are increasingly finding ways to leverage our professional abilities in support of CLC’s mission, so that we can more directly contribute to improving the lives of some of DC’s most vulnerable youth and their families.”
Learn more about Bates White’s community fundraising through its Community Connection program.
Learn more about CLC’s Champions for Children awards here.