September 16, 2026
Annual gala will celebrate the power of pro bono legal services to strengthen nonprofits and the communities they serve; Dan Abrams to serve as emcee.
NEW YORK (September 16, 2026) – On September 30, 2026, Pro Bono Partnership will celebrate its 29th Anniversary Gala at Cipriani 42nd Street, New York City starting at 6pm with cocktails, followed by 7pm program and dinner.
Pro Bono Partnership (the Partnership) provides business and transactional legal help to nonprofit organizations serving under-resourced neighborhoods or enhancing the quality of life in Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York. By leveraging the expertise of its in-house legal staff, the Partnership annually recruits and mobilizes hundreds of attorneys from major corporations and law firms to donate their time and skills to its nonprofit clients, strengthening their legal and organizational foundations and enhancing their ability to improve conditions in their communities.
Since its founding in 1997, the Partnership has assisted nearly 5,000 nonprofits in the tristate on more than 27,000 legal matters. This support enables organizations to more effectively feed hungry families, house the homeless, promote the arts, protect the environment, and provide essential programs to children, the elderly, immigrants, individuals with disabilities, and unemployed people.
The 2026 Pro Bono Champion Award will be presented to the legal team at Boehringer Ingelheim USA Corporation and to law firm Jenner & Block, in recognition of their outstanding service to the community and their deeply-rooted commitment to pro bono work.
Newly-appointed Executive Director Ann Shalof, who joined the Partnership earlier this month, said that the Gala has grown into a highly anticipated event for the legal community, reflecting its strong commitment to nonprofits and the communities they serve.
“I’m delighted to join Pro Bono Partnership at such an important moment and to work alongside a legal community that recognizes the power of pro bono service,” said Shalof. “We’re honored to celebrate Boehringer Ingelheim and Jenner & Block for their longstanding commitment to this work. As our largest fundraiser of the year, the Gala helps ensure the Partnership can continue to provide critical legal services to nonprofits across the region.”
The evening’s emcee is Dan Abrams, Chief Legal Affairs Analyst for ABC News. An entrepreneur and author, Abrams has written for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Yale Law & Policy Review, ABCNews.com, and has co-authored numerous best-selling books. Abrams is a graduate of Duke and Columbia University Law School.
The cocktail and dessert receptions will feature the Vance Camisa Jazz Quartet, led by piano player Vance Camisa, who is Counsel at Merck and has been an active pro bono volunteer with Pro Bono Partnership for more than 20 years.
Visit https://probonopartner.org/gala/ to learn more about the Partnership’s 29th Anniversary Gala and honorees.
CONTACT:
Mindi Lund
Pro Bono Partnership, Director of Marketing and Communications