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Sheppard Mullin was awarded "Law Firm of the Year" by the Public Law Center (PLC) in recognition of the firm's significant contributions to PLC's pro bono endeavors. PLC is a pro bono law firm that provides free legal services to low-income residents of Orange County, California. Sheppard Mullin is the only law firm to have received this award three times.

Since 2021, a Sheppard Mullin pro bono team led by Steve Cardoza has played a pivotal role in transforming the lives of families through the finalization of 115 adoptions in partnership with PLC's De Facto Parent and Dependency Adoption Clinic. Remarkably, PLC is responsible for one-third of all dependency adoption filings in Orange County, with Sheppard Mullin's pro bono team managing a substantial number of those filings. Demonstrating unparalleled commitment and expertise, the team has achieved a 100 percent success rate, seamlessly guiding Orange County residents through the complexities of adoption proceedings towards the joy of adoptive parenthood.

Another pro bono team led by Isaiah Weedn dedicated over 1,200 hours in 2023 alone to defending the Mental Health Association of Orange County (MHAOC) in the case City of Santa Ana v. Orange County Association for Mental Health. MHAOC is a non-profit mental health services provider contracted with the County of Orange and overseen by the Orange County Health Care Agency. PLC and Sheppard Mullin are jointly defending MHAOC against the City's attempts to shut down MHAOC's Homeless Multi-Service Center in Santa Ana. For more than 20 years, the Homeless Multi-Service Center has served clients who are unhoused due to their severe and persistent mental illnesses. Clients receive mental health and medical treatment, case management and various other holistic services in furtherance of MHAOC's overall mission of improving the quality of life of Orange County residents affected by mental illness. The case is still in litigation, but the remarkable efforts this pro bono team has demonstrated underscores its members' unwavering commitment to the case.

Sheppard Mullin was honored with the "Law Firm of the Year" award during PLC's 2024 Volunteers for Justice event on June 11.