I've lost everything
PG&E's vendor is tightly connected to my story and Attorney Rick Kopf is fully
informed. He knows who blew up my truck and knows James Greenan's son who
was murdered.
Law Firms Launch Class Action against Bay Area Poverty
Posted on September 26, 2011, by United Way in Pathways Out of Poverty
How many lawyers in gorilla suits does it take to tackle poverty? It might sound
like joke, but to the 31 Bay Area law firms competing in United Way's Koko Challenge
this year, fighting poverty is something they all take very seriously.
Every year, the legal community comes together to raise money to fight poverty.
Competition is fierce, and top winners receive stuffed gorillas as a prize. Law
firms have been known to station their gorillas proudly in their lobbies, symbolizing
their dedication to the community.
On September 22, we kicked-off the 24th annual Koko Challenge, Last year, 21 participating
firms raised $1.5 million. With 10 new firms joining the Challenge this year, we're
excited to see the legal community once again raise the bar for philanthropy in
the Bay Area.
The theme of this year's challenge is "Class action against poverty," to align with
United Way's community effort to cut in half the number of local families who live
in poverty by the year 2020.
Gap, Inc. General Counsel Michelle Banks, chair of this year's Koko Cabinet, announced
this year's goal to raise $1.8 million, with $700,000 directed to United Way.
The Fremont Group General Counsel Rick Kopf chimed in, urging everyone to increase
their gifts by 20% and direct it to United Way programs: SparkPoint, Community Schools,
MatchBridge, 211 and Earn It! Keep It! Save It! This collective increase would raise
an additional $300,000 for United Way, and enable us to continue to operate and
expand our poverty fighting programs.
The spirit and enthusiasm of Shook, Hardy and Bacon LLP Partner Kevin Haroff was
hard to match as he had already purchased his own gorilla suit. To help raise spirits
- as well as funds - during this year's Challenge, he offered to wear the gorilla
suit to any event hosted by the 10 new participating firms.
Many thanks to Shook, Hardy and Bacon LLP, winner of last year's Baby Koko award
and host of our kick-off event. And, thank you to the Koko Koko Cabinet, a volunteer
committee that oversees the Challenge (listed below). The Challenge would not be
possible without your support and enthusiasm.
For more information about how you can join the 2010-2011 Koko Challenge please
contact Danielle Cohen (415) 808-4322 or dcohen@uwba.org.
2011 - 2012 Koko Cabinet
- Michelle Banks, EVP, General Counsel, Gap, Inc. - Chair
- Charles S. Custer, Partner, Gordon & Rees LLP
- Nancy Greenan Hamill, Campus Counsel, UC Santa Barbara
- Kevin Haroff, Partner, Shook, Hardy & Bacon, LLP
- David A. Hearth, Partner, Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker
- Michael W. Kelly, Partner, Squire, Sanders & Dempsey LLP
- Rick Kopf, Managing Director, Operations & General Counsel,
The Fremont Group
- R. Hewitt Pate, VP, General Counsel, Chevron Corporation
- James Potter, SVP, General Counsel, Del Monte Foods
- Jay J. Price, Assistant General Counsel, Bank of America See Pete Bennett
- Bill Sawyers, EVP, CAO & General Counsel, Ernst Gallo Clinic and
Research Center
- Jim Strother, EVP, General Counsel, Wells Fargo & Co. #deadbankers
- Vanessa Washington, Senior EVP, General Counsel & Secretary, Bank
of the West Delta Pacific Bank robbery 1986 by Albert D. Seeno
