Akerman LLP, a top 100 U.S. law firm serving clients across the Americas, today announced litigation partner Grasford Smith, who serves as chair of the National Bar Association’s (NBA) Minority Partners in Majority Law Firms Division, led an effort by the division to donate $10,000 toward the NBA’s 2020 Wiley Branton Symposium, an annual event focused on civil rights and equal justice issues. Of the funds raised, half will go toward sponsoring a section of the event dedicated to election protection, and the remaining $5,000 will be donated to purchase protective gear for volunteers at the election polls.
“The National Bar has taken a critical leadership role in election protection to ensure a free and fair election,” said Smith. “I am proud of the Minority Partners in Majority Law Firms Division for making a contribution towards this effort.”
The virtual symposium, taking place on October 15-17, will feature discussions on various civil rights issues, including fighting racial injustice, supporting voter rights, and advocacy work during a COVID-19 pandemic. The event will also include state specific election protection training for lawyers, law students and other professionals who wish to join the effort against voter suppression. Each year, the NBA’s Wiley Branton Symposium honors the legacy of a civil rights and social justice advocate who worked to advance the progress of people of color through work in the courtroom.
The NBA was founded in 1925 and is the nation's oldest and largest national network of predominantly African-American attorneys and judges. It represents the interests of approximately 66,000 lawyers, judges, law professors, and law students.
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