CHICAGO – May 19, 2017 – Richard D. Harris and Barry R. Horwitz, shareholders at global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP, received the “Excellence in Pro Bono Service” award from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, in conjunction with the Chicago Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, at the 18th Annual Excellence in Pro Bono and Public Interest Service Awards on May 24 in Chicago.
The award honors attorneys for their contributions in helping people most in need of assistance before the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Harris and Horwitz were nominated by both Judge Joan B. Gottschall and Judge Thomas M. Durkin for their exceptional pro bono work on behalf of their client, Julian Nettles–Bey, in the case of Nettles-Bey v. Village of South Holland, et al., Case No. 11 C 8022. Nettles-Bey, a motivational speaker who works with minority children, was arrested and charged with criminal trespass by the Village of South Holland Police Department. He was tried by county prosecutors for what Nettles-Bey claimed was their belief that he was part of the Moorish Science Temple. His Complaint alleged that the Village and its police officers were pursuing the Temple as a criminal organization involved with mortgage fraud and real estate conversion throughout the country. Nettles-Bey’s Complaint also alleged that he was singled out and prosecuted, due to the officers’ false belief that his hyphenated “Bey” name, amongst other issues, implicated his involvement with the Moorish Science Temple.
In winning this award, Harris and Horwitz underscored the importance of representing the indigent and oppressed – notably, in a legal area far afield from their intellectual property practice.
Harris, Co-Chair of both the Chicago Intellectual Property & Technology Practice and the Global Patent Litigation Practice, focuses his practice on U.S. and foreign patent, trademark, copyright, and unfair competition matters, with particular emphasis on litigation. His practice is actively involved with patent and trademark prosecution and intellectual property-related transactional projects.
Horwitz’s practice spans all traditional areas of intellectual property law, and includes an emphasis in patent and trademark litigation; trademark, trade secret, and unfair competition counseling; and copyright enforcement. Horwitz also serves as Co-Chair of the Outreach Committee for the Young Professionals Board of the Legal Assistance Foundation (LAF), which previously awarded him the 2015 Ambassador of the Year Award.
About Greenberg Traurig’s Pro Bono Program
Greenberg Traurig lawyers across the firm’s offices provide pro bono legal services to the indigent and working poor, as well as to numerous civic and charitable organizations dedicated to assisting them. The firm focuses its resources on specialized and interrelated issues including civil rights and affirmative action, anti-human trafficking, family law matters, criminal appeals, immigration and political asylum, housing and homelessness.
About Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Greenberg Traurig, LLP (GTLaw) has more than 2,000 attorneys in 38 offices in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East and is celebrating its 50th anniversary. One firm worldwide, GTLaw has been recognized for its philanthropic giving, was named the largest firm in the U.S. by Law360 in 2017, and among the Top 20 on the 2016 Am Law Global 100. Web: www.gtlaw.com Twitter: @GT_Law.
The award honors attorneys for their contributions in helping people most in need of assistance before the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Harris and Horwitz were nominated by both Judge Joan B. Gottschall and Judge Thomas M. Durkin for their exceptional pro bono work on behalf of their client, Julian Nettles–Bey, in the case of Nettles-Bey v. Village of South Holland, et al., Case No. 11 C 8022. Nettles-Bey, a motivational speaker who works with minority children, was arrested and charged with criminal trespass by the Village of South Holland Police Department. He was tried by county prosecutors for what Nettles-Bey claimed was their belief that he was part of the Moorish Science Temple. His Complaint alleged that the Village and its police officers were pursuing the Temple as a criminal organization involved with mortgage fraud and real estate conversion throughout the country. Nettles-Bey’s Complaint also alleged that he was singled out and prosecuted, due to the officers’ false belief that his hyphenated “Bey” name, amongst other issues, implicated his involvement with the Moorish Science Temple.
In winning this award, Harris and Horwitz underscored the importance of representing the indigent and oppressed – notably, in a legal area far afield from their intellectual property practice.
Harris, Co-Chair of both the Chicago Intellectual Property & Technology Practice and the Global Patent Litigation Practice, focuses his practice on U.S. and foreign patent, trademark, copyright, and unfair competition matters, with particular emphasis on litigation. His practice is actively involved with patent and trademark prosecution and intellectual property-related transactional projects.
Horwitz’s practice spans all traditional areas of intellectual property law, and includes an emphasis in patent and trademark litigation; trademark, trade secret, and unfair competition counseling; and copyright enforcement. Horwitz also serves as Co-Chair of the Outreach Committee for the Young Professionals Board of the Legal Assistance Foundation (LAF), which previously awarded him the 2015 Ambassador of the Year Award.
About Greenberg Traurig’s Pro Bono Program
Greenberg Traurig lawyers across the firm’s offices provide pro bono legal services to the indigent and working poor, as well as to numerous civic and charitable organizations dedicated to assisting them. The firm focuses its resources on specialized and interrelated issues including civil rights and affirmative action, anti-human trafficking, family law matters, criminal appeals, immigration and political asylum, housing and homelessness.
About Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Greenberg Traurig, LLP (GTLaw) has more than 2,000 attorneys in 38 offices in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East and is celebrating its 50th anniversary. One firm worldwide, GTLaw has been recognized for its philanthropic giving, was named the largest firm in the U.S. by Law360 in 2017, and among the Top 20 on the 2016 Am Law Global 100. Web: www.gtlaw.com Twitter: @GT_Law.