Minneapolis law firm Dorsey & Whitney ends misdemeanor prosecutions program with city attorney's office
[Dorsey & Whitney, Facebook]
The Minneapolis branch of law firm Dorsey & Whitney reports it is ending its misdemeanor prosecutions program with the Minneapolis City Attorney's Office in the aftermath of George Floyd's death.
According to a statement released by the law firm Tuesday, the program, which had been in place for more than 40 years, provided legal services, some of which were pro bono.
Managing Partner William Stoeri said the decision was made following a review of studies that demonstrate "the prosecution of misdemeanors disproportionately impact the Black community, which was an important factor in Dorsey’s decision to end its involvement in Minneapolis prosecutions."
"Dorsey is immediately placing an even greater emphasis on pro bono work that helps rebuild communities, and will no longer support misdemeanor prosecutions in Minneapolis," Stoeri said in a statement. "We must be part of the solution, and that means concrete action to assist the community and a re-examining of our own programs and practices."
Stoeri went on to state, "As we take stock of how Dorsey can best fulfill its obligations to the community, to clients, and to members of our Firm, it is simply time to devote more resources to assisting those who are the victims of injustice."
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