As part of the firm’s pro bono work, we have brought significant impact litigation against city and state government entities

Davis Polk’s Pro Bono practice tackles some of the most pressing, high-stakes challenges facing society today. Lawyers from across the firm have partnered with our large team of full-time pro bono lawyers to bring significant impact litigation against a variety of city and state government entities. Our work includes:

  • Represented the New York County Lawyers Association as plaintiff in an action against the State of New York and the City of New York to compel funding of increases in the hourly rates paid to indigent defendants’ counsel assigned under a certain provision of law.
  • Served as class counsel in favorable resolution of class action against the City of New York and the New York City Department of Education to compel compliance with federal and state education laws.
  • Represented certain non-party witnesses in litigation brought by the Legal Aid Society against the City of New York challenging the constitutionality of a particular section of the New York penal law.
  • Represented several prisoners’ and disability rights advocacy groups in a federal lawsuit against the New York State Office of Mental Health and the Department of Correctional Services with respect to issues presented by the solitary confinement of mental health patients in New York State prisons.
  • Represented several individuals in a lawsuit against the Louisiana Board of Medical Examiners and the Louisiana State Attorney General arguing that Louisiana’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors is unconstitutional.
  • Represented plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the Governor of Louisiana, the Public Defender of Louisiana and the Louisiana Public Defender Board challenging the constitutionality and funding of the Louisiana public defender system.

Members of the Davis Polk teams are based in the New York, Washington DC and Northern California offices. 

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