 |
| Emily Ellis |
 |
| Jayme Ritchie |
Emily A. Ellis, a commercial litigator and shareholder at Brownstein Hyatt's Las Vegas office, will serve as the firm's pro bono partner and chair of its pro bono committee, while Jayme B. Ritchie, who is based in Denver, will become its director of pro bono and community impact, the firm said in a statement.
Jessica Molesworth, the firm's pro bono and community impact coordinator, will assist Ellis and Ritchie in the administration of the program, Brownstein Hyatt said.
A seasoned litigator with vast courtroom experience with business, construction defects and real estate disputes, Ellis has served on the firm's Nevada pro bono committee, the firm said. She will manage the intake and delivery of legal services to the firm's pro bono clients.
Ellis, who has experience in intellectual property litigation, including trademark and copyright matters, and has argued cases before U.S. Courts of Appeals and the Supreme Court, has a long history of pro bono service, often exceeding 100 hours per year, the firm said.
Ritchie has served as Brownstein Hyatt's director of community relations, forging collaborations with local philanthropies, managing sponsorships and donations and coordinating the firm's pro bono and volunteer opportunities, the firm said.
"I have every confidence in Emily and Jayme as they take on these new roles within the firm. They both exemplify the firm's commitment to giving back to the communities in which we live and work," Rich Benenson, Brownstein Hyatt's managing partner, said in a statement. "With their leadership and passion, we will continue to positively impact individuals and organizations in our communities who could not otherwise afford quality legal representation."
In her new role, Ritchie will focus on the administration of the pro bono program. She'll work on creating more opportunities for attorneys and staff members to help and identify causes they want to get involved with, she told Law360 on Friday.
Before joining Brownstein Hyatt, Ritchie served in leadership roles with several nonprofits, including WeeCycle, a Colorado-based organization she co-founded that collects essential baby gear and distributes it to families in need.
A graduate of University of Denver's Sturm College of Law, Ritchie ran her own law office for seven years. She also worked as an associate at a litigation firm and served as a staff attorney for the Mountain States Legal Foundation, the firm's statement said.
In 2022, Brownstein Hyatt provided over 10,000 hours of pro bono support across its 12 offices nationwide. The firm fielded monthly low-income legal clinics, advocated for abused and neglected children and represented victims of domestic violence.
Ritchie said Brownstein Hyatt's move to appoint a pro bono partner and a director marks a switch in the firm's ambitions in pro bono.
"They've really decided to build a team and grow our pro bono practice," she said. "It's a really nice opportunity to grow our efforts in the pro bono space and encourage more attorneys to do more."
In a call with Law360, Ellis said she joined Brownstein Hyatt because she was attracted by the pro bono activity of the firm, which received awards for its social work in the Las Vegas area, she said.
"It's such an incredible feeling to know that I came to Brownstein for this purpose and now, I'm getting to help continue to guide our firm in our commitment to giving back and ensuring that we help those in our communities," she said. "I'm just extremely overwhelmed and excited and honored to be in this new role."
--Editing by Linda Voorhis.
For a reprint of this article, please contact reprints@law360.com.
