Corporate Social Responsibility
At Novack and Macey, we believe that civic commitments are an essential aspect of our legal practice, and are especially important to our clients. While we wish we could assist all the many wonderful organizations that exist, Novack and Macey has opted instead to give to various legal and community nonprofits that not only speak to us as a firm, but also as individuals. CJE SeniorLife, The Chicago Bar Foundation, Chicago Legal Advocacy for Incarcerated Mothers, the National Multiple Sclerosis Foundation and Women Employed are just a few of the organizations that Novack and Macey regularly supports.
Education is something that is deeply important to co-founding partner Eric Macey. Eric is the Chairman of The Posse Foundation in Chicago and works tirelessly as a member of its National Board. The Posse Foundation identifies public high school students with extraordinary academic and leadership potential who may be overlooked by traditional college selection processes, placing them in supportive teams — “Posses” of ten students. The Foundation’s partner universities award Posse Scholars four-year, full tuition leadership scholarships.
Don Tarkington has served as a member of the Board of Education for the Evanston/Skokie Consolidated School District 65 where he chaired the finance committee. He was co-chairman of the District 65 Referendum Committee and is the immediate Past President of the District 65 Educational Foundation. Don also serves on the Board of Directors for the McGaw YMCA.
Andrew Campbell is a member of the Young Professionals Board for Horizons for Youth where he serves on the Corporate Sponsorship Committee. Horizons for Youth provides scholarships, mentoring, and a unique community of support for children from low-resource areas of Chicago. Alison Schwartz participates in fundraising and other activities for the benefit of the James G. Blaine Elementary School, the local public school. John Haarlow serves as a member of the Foundation Board of the Sue Duncan Children’s Center which provides free after-school educational and recreational programming for inner-city children.
The firm also supports efforts to improve the justice system. Steve Siegel serves in the leadership of the ABA Section of Litigation and is a co-chair for the 2013 Section Annual Conference to be held in Chicago in April 2013. Steve is also a member of the Board of Governors of the Chicago Council of Lawyers, a preeminent legal reform organization.
To help combat hunger in our communty, Novack and Macey has held food drives that collect several hundred pounds of food for the Greater Chicago Food Depository. In addition to our food drives, Tim Miller serves on the food depository’s Finance Committee of the Board of Directors. Steve Siegel volunteers at A Just Harvest, a soup kitchen and community development organization located in Rogers Park.
The firm also supports the community’s cultural life. Mitch Marinello is a volunteer for the Canzonetta Youth String Chamber Orchestra in Evanston, Illinois. The firm has been a sponsor of the Music of the Baroque.
The well-being of families and children in our city and surrounding communities is important at Novack and Macey. John Shonkwiler volunteers for Chicago Lights, a community outreach organization that serves children, youth and adults through tutoring, arts education, job training, basic assistance and health care. Courtney Tedrowe is on the Lawndale Christian Legal Center’s Advisory Board. The Center provides legal services to low-income youth from Chicago’s Lawndale neighborhood.
Chris Moore has supported the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund. Adam Waskowski is on the Metro Board for Metropolitan Family Services. Josh Liebman volunteers for the Jewish Community Centers of Chicago (JCC) as a member of the organization’s Camp Chi Alumni Committee. Josh also is a designate member of the Jewish Council for Youth Services’ (JCYS) Board of Directors. JCYS provides educational and recreational services for children and teens in and around Chicago. Olivia St. Clair volunteers for the Center on Halsted.
Alison Schwartz supports A Safe Haven, a Chicago organization that serves families and individuals experiencing homelessness, addiction or other life crises. Shelby Drury and Rebekah Parker are also supporters of A Safe Haven.
Services to women are a priority. Andrew Campbell has been a Director of Sarah’s Circle, a not-for-profit drop-in shelter for homeless women in Chicago. Kristen Werries Collier is a firm Delegate to the Coalition of Women’s Initiatives in Law and a member of the Coalition’s Board of Directors. She is also a Luminary Circle member of Step Up Women’s Network, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting and advancing women and girls. Olivia St. Clair is on Women Employed’s Advocacy Council.
Rebekah Parker is a Board member of the Next Generation and a member of the Lawyers’ Committee, both of which support the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. She is also a member of the Harvard Law School Women’s Alliance of Chicago and the Chicago Council of Lawyers, a public interest bar association.
In addition to giving financial support to these and other organizations, we have also dedicated countless hours to pro bono work. As attorneys, we have the unique ability to give more than just donations; we are sharing our time and legal expertise. For example, Christopher Stanton’s volunteer and pro bono activities have included the representation of indigent criminal defendants in federal court. Rebekah Parker and Olivia St. Clair have accepted pro bono referrals from The Legal Assistance Foundation.
For more information about the firm and current charitable endeavors, please call (312) 419-6900.
