DLA Piper partner Kenneth Schmetterer to receive pro bono award from Chicago Bar Foundation

DLA Piper is pleased to announce that partner Ken Schmetterer of the firm's Chicago office will receive the 2020 Edward J. Lewis II Pro Bono Service Award from the Chicago Bar Foundation.

The award honors attorneys who display a deep commitment to the fundamental principles of equal protection and equal justice in the community through outstanding pro bono service. Schmetterer was recognized for his longstanding commitment to youth justice, his pro bono and board service to Umoja Student Development Corporation and the National Juvenile Defender Center, and his work on behalf of Chicago area residents and others impacted by poverty, abuse and discrimination.

“Ken has demonstrated a tremendous commitment to serving at-risk youth,” said Lisa Dewey, DLA Piper pro bono partner and director of New Perimeter, the firm’s nonprofit affiliate that provides long-term pro bono legal assistance in under-served regions around the world. “In addition to his juvenile justice work, Ken is always willing to mentor associates in their pro bono matters, and recently was involved in a case that cleared the way for the opening of a homeless assistance program in the Chicago suburbs. His commitment, dedication and generosity have had a remarkable impact. Ken is the best example of what it means to serve in our profession. He truly makes a difference for his clients and for our community.”

In his practice, Schmetterer has served as trial counsel in a variety of state and federal courts and administrative bodies. He has extensive experience litigating complex commercial disputes involving claims of fraud, negligence, breach of contract, tortious interference, trade secret misappropriation, ERISA, consumer class action claims, securities fraud class actions, stockholder derivative actions, and investor broker-dealer disputes, among others, as well as lawsuits involving a variety of zoning, land use and constitutional disputes.