On February 11, 2009, the Children’s Law Center (CLC) recognized Van Ness Feldman for devoting the second-highest number of pro bono hours in support of CLC matters.  This ranking puts Van Ness Feldman ahead of many firms that are ten times its size.  Commenting on this achievement, Howard Feldman, Chairman of the firm, said “Helping others is an integral part of the firm's culture.  In these difficult economic times, pro bono services are even more important and the firm will continue to do its part.”

In 2008, lawyers at Van Ness Feldman worked on four CLC adoption cases totaling approximately 1,500 hours, a majority of which was trial work in the D.C. Superior Court, advocating for foster parents who were stepping up to adopt children abandoned by their parents. 

One of the cases turned into a contentious two-month trial led by Chuck Sensiba, a Member at Van Ness Feldman, and Associates Meaghan Curry and Sean Cavote.  The judge ruled in favor of our client, resulting in the successful adoption of a young girl and a young boy, sister and brother, who had been abandoned by their biological parents. 

Mona Tandon, Julia Wood, Bob Christin, and John Clements also worked on adoption/custody matters before the D.C. Superior Court on behalf of abandoned children and the CLC.

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