February 17, 2023
Gibson Dunn’s Pro Bono Committee is thrilled to announce the winners of this year’s Frank Wheat Memorial Awards. As always, the winners showcase characteristics all Gibson Dunn attorneys aspire to: an unfailing dedication to pro bono, a commitment to excellence, and a passion for service. The winners also reflect the diversity of the Firm’s pro bono practice, as well as the impact of pro bono matters big and small.
Frank Wheat, a former Los Angeles partner, was a superb transactional lawyer, SEC commissioner, and president of the Los Angeles County Bar. He was also a giant in the nonprofit community, having founded the Alliance for Children’s Rights in addition to serving as a leader of the Sierra Club and as a founding director of the Center for Law in the Public Interest. He exemplified the commitment to the community and to pro bono service that has always been a core tenet of the Gibson Dunn culture. Recipients of the Frank Wheat Memorial Award each receive a $2,500 prize to be donated to pro bono organizations designated by the recipients.
This year, we selected two winners in each category, and we also recognized the work of four members of the Gibson Dunn staff who went above and beyond in their support of the Firm’s pro bono practice. The Frank Wheat Award winners showcase important aspects of the Firm’s diverse and vibrant pro bono practice, which includes advising small businesses and nonprofits, appellate litigation, immigration, racial justice and criminal justice reform, veterans advocacy, and many other important initiatives. In total, more than 1,450 Gibson Dunn attorneys around the world devoted nearly 140,000 hours to pro bono work in 2022.