Rene A. Kathawala

Rene Kathawala serves as Orrick's firmwide pro bono counsel, responsible for managing and initiating the firm's pro bono activities, including all administrative and legal aspects. Mr. Kathawala works with other pro bono coordinators and nonprofit organizations to increase the quantity and quality of pro bono representation that is being provided to indigent clients in each of the cities where Orrick has a presence. In addition, Mr. Kathawala supervises and directly works on cases in such diverse areas as immigration law, family and matrimonial law, housing law, public benefits law, employment law counseling, impact litigation and nonprofit advice and counseling. Mr. Kathawala also worked with a number of firm attorneys to develop and launch the firm's innovative Social Sector Finance team that provides representation in diverse transactional areas to nonprofit organizations and other entities dedicated to providing basic services to poor persons around the world in six areas: microfinance, water, education, energy, housing and health.

Immediately prior to joining Orrick in this position, Mr. Kathawala served as a law clerk to the Honorable I. Leo Glasser, United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, between September 2004 and August 2005. Mr. Kathawala was an associate in Orrick's employment law department between October 1996 and July 2004 where he focused his practice on general labor and employment counseling and litigation. During that time, Mr. Kathawala initiated a formal pro bono program in the New York office and served as the pro bono coordinator for the office. Mr. Kathawala has received recognition for his significant contributions to pro bono clients in the areas of impact litigation, matrimonial and family law, immigration law and employment law counseling, through receipt of Network For Women's Services (now inMotion) First Annual Commitment to Justice Award (March 1999), the Cornerstone Award from Lawyers Alliance for New York (May 2001), the New York City Bar Association Justice Center Public Service honoree (September 2006), the Phillip Burton Immigration & Civil Rights Award for Lawyering from the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (May 2010), the Jeremy G. Epstein Award for Outstanding Pro Bono Service (October 2011), the First Annual Unsung Heroes' Award from the New York Law Journal (November 2011) and the Legal Aid Society of New York's Pro Bono Publico Award (November 2010 and November 2011).

Admitted in

• New York

Court Admissions

• Eastern District of New York
• Southern District of New York

• Second Circuit

Memberships

• New York City Bar Association, Pro Bono and Legal Services Committee
• Association of Pro Bono Counsel
• Federal Bar Council, Public Service Committee
• Harvard Law and International Development Society, Advisory Board
• New York State Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Section
• American Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Section

Multimedia

Publications

• Mr. Kathawala has co-authored several articles on important developments in the field of labor and employment law, including articles on same-sex harassment, the enforceability of predispute arbitration agreements and personality and aptitude tests.

Speeches & Programs

• Mr. Kathawala is a frequent speaker on matters of importance to the pro bono community at conferences sponsored by, among others, the Pro Bono Institute and the American Bar Association (Equal Access to Justice Conference)