Jeanenne Rutherford Receives WSPA Paralegal Pro Bono Award

SEATTLE (May 18, 2010) - Perkins Coie is pleased to announce Perkins Coie Paralegal Jeanenne Rutherford has received the Washington State Paralegal Association's Paralegal Pro Bono Award.

Through the Paralegal Pro Bono Award, Washington State Paralegal Association (WSPA) recognizes the commitment of paralegals to the delivery of pro bono legal services.

In 2009, Rutherford contributed approximately 400 hours to pro bono and public service.  She worked on three projects in particular.  First, Rutherford participated in Port Angeles Citizenship Day and Tri Cities Citizenship Day where she assisted those in need of advice in preparing application forms for U.S. citizenship.  Second, through the firm's pro bono program she assisted the attorney team representing a group of intervenor defendants in a constitutional challenge of two Washington State Board of Pharmacy regulations which ensure timely, nondiscriminatory access to medical care and treatment.  Finally, she assisted firm attorneys representing a 13-year old girl from Guatemala seeking asylum in the United States.  The girl traveled alone to this country after enduring persecution based on her affiliation with an indigenous tribe.

Throughout the firm's 14 domestic offices, Perkins Coie has a high level of commitment to pro bono legal work and has devoted more than 150,000 hours to pro bono service in the past five years.