A third-year associate at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom is taking an ambitious and novel approach to get associates to support legal aid groups and nonprofits that bring impact litigation. In January, The Associates’ Committee, which was started by Los Angeles litigation associate Corey Laplante, announced that it had recruited 100 associates in 100 days to contribute $1,000 each, for a total of $100,000 that will be used to fund these legal groups.
“This got off the ground so much more quickly than I expected,” Laplante said. “We were originally hoping to get 200 members in our first year. Now, I’m hesitant to be audacious, but I’d like to get to 500 this year.” Laplante began by reaching out to other Skadden associates and friends he knew from law school at the University of California, Berkeley, relying heavily on social media platforms such as LinkedIn. So far, the participating members come from more than 40 large firms, including Latham & Watkins; Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher; Davis Polk & Wardwell; and Sullivan & Cromwell. Associates will have to give $1,000 each year to remain members going forward.
