William C. Silverman
Pro Bono Partner
William C. Silverman is a partner responsible for leading Proskauer’s global pro bono efforts, which provide assistance to individual clients and nonprofit organizations in litigation as well as transactional matters. He focuses on identifying and securing pro bono opportunities and partnerships for Proskauer lawyers and ensuring widespread participation in these projects.
Bill has robust private and public sector experience and a strong criminal and civil background. He has worked extensively on government investigations and white collar criminal matters, as well as complex civil litigation in federal and state courts. He also served as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of New York, where he led criminal investigations, conducted trials and handled Second Circuit appeals.
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Thanks to advances in technology, the fight for equal access to justice has the potential of making enormous strides. A great example is the project Proskauer helped spearhead with the nonprofit Legal Information for Families Today (LIFT), which is now connecting pro se litigants in family court throughout New York State with pro bono services … Continue Reading
When I volunteered in Mexico last spring with two Proskauer colleagues alongside the Institute for Women in Migration (IMUMI), I witnessed a growing humanitarian crisis. The U.S. “Remain in Mexico” Policy – officially called the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) – requires asylum seekers at the southern border to wait in Mexico for the duration of … Continue Reading
Last month, the U.S. state with the highest rate of incarceration (in the country with the largest prison population) took steps to reduce its incarceration of non-violent offenders. Oklahoma’s Governor Kevin Stitt (Republican) commuted the sentences of over 500 inmates. All of these individuals were non-violent offenders with an average age of less than 40. … Continue Reading
Until recently, conventional wisdom among prosecutors dictated that long prison terms were vital to public safety. They took seriously the direction “to charge and pursue the most serious, readily provable offenses,” and measured success in terms of trial wins and convictions. Conventional wisdom, however, is changing from this purely punitive model as prosecutors are now … Continue Reading
On November 13 and 21, 2019, the New York State Assembly and Senate will hold joint hearings on the court simplification reforms proposed by Chief Judge Janet DiFiore. The proposed amendment to the State Constitution would streamline the court system by: Consolidating New York’s 11 trial courts into three tiers: Supreme Court, Municipal Court, and … Continue Reading
The human trafficking industry preys on vulnerable young women throughout the world who seek to escape poverty, violence, and oppression. These women are often lured by sex traffickers through false promises of a better life, only to find themselves trapped in a cycle of abuse. The trafficking industry earns profits of approximately $150 billion a … Continue Reading
Last week, Proskauer — along with co-counsel Democracy Forward, and the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. — filed a complaint on behalf of seven asylum seekers, their minor children and the legal services organization RAICES in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, claiming that several current immigration directives impede access to counsel … Continue Reading
Every year around this time, my colleague Erin Meyer and I can be found going through and carefully selecting pro bono opportunities for Proskauer’s incoming first-year associates. Each of them will be assigned a pro bono matter on their first day at Proskauer. Why have we made this a priority? Assigning these matters sends a … Continue Reading
Earlier this month, a Law360 article explored a fundamental—yet often overlooked—question: whether the long-held standard practice of tallying pro bono hours remains “the best way to measure pro bono success.” Though attempting to approximate a firm’s commitment to pro bono through quantifiable metrics is laudable, hours alone do not tell the full story. Especially given … Continue Reading
The families and children migrating from Central America have suffered terrible traumatic experiences, and a recent report by Physicians for Human Rights (PHR), a non-profit advocacy group, addresses the serious, long-term medical consequences of this trauma. These important findings provide compelling support for more humane immigration policies, and inform best practices for lawyers working with … Continue Reading
The United States comprises about 4% of the world’s population – and houses about 22% of the world’s prison population. The U.S. Department of Justice reports that each year approximately 650,000 people are released from prison. Helping this population with a successful transition following incarceration is not only critically important to the individuals involved, but … Continue Reading
In A Nation of Immigrants, President John F. Kennedy traced America’s mixed record of embracing new immigrants, and then emphasized the benefits of immigration as he argued in favor of reforming the system. “Nativism failed,” he concluded, “not because the seeds were not there to be cultivated, but because American society is too complex for … Continue Reading
Off a side street in a small town in central Mexico, the shelter entrance was hard to find until we noticed a young family sitting under a tree near a gate with a worn sign welcoming “migrant brothers and sisters.” We walked through the gate into a dusty courtyard surrounded by makeshift structures in the … Continue Reading
Since my trip to the U.S./Mexico border last summer, the situation for families seeking asylum has only become more challenging, especially in light of the Administration’s new “Remain in Mexico” policy. This week, I am in Mexico along with Proskauer colleagues, Valarie McPherson, special immigration counsel, and Savannah Sosa, a project assistant. We are providing … Continue Reading
In the United States, people of limited means suffer a tremendous unmet need for legal services in civil proceedings. Why does the United States fall so far behind in providing that service in comparison with other western democracies? Background on the Right to Counsel In 1963, the Supreme Court decided Gideon v. Wainwright, the landmark … Continue Reading
Chief Judge Janet DiFiore’s call during her recent state of the judiciary address to “modernize” New York’s court system by reforming its complicated structure, has energized a growing grassroots effort across the state. Since her speech at the end of February, dozens of groups and organizations, including representatives from a wide variety of New York … Continue Reading
A lot has changed since 1969 when a handful of junior associates at Proskauer created Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (VLA): the world had about half the population it has now, the price of gasoline was around 35 cents per gallon, and the Jets won the Super Bowl. One thing that hasn’t changed since then, … Continue Reading
U.S. immigration policy has changed quickly and substantially in the past two years. While a handful of policies have received the majority of media attention—such as the separation of families at the border—the Department of Homeland Security has implemented numerous, far less visible changes that have dramatically impacted the ability to seek immigration relief in … Continue Reading
Following my experience assisting immigrant families at the border, I have shared the story, the urgent challenges, and the need for change with many audiences. I have presented the same PowerPoint of my experience enough times that it’s now possible for me to click through the slides and images, words flowing easily, despite the devastating … Continue Reading
According to the most recent FBI statistics, reported incidents of hate crimes increased by 17 percent in 2017, rising for the third consecutive year. The FBI determined that the primary motivators of these crimes were race, ethnicity, religion and sexual orientation.1 When compounded with the rise in anti-immigrant sentiment, and recent changes in U.S. policy that … Continue Reading
For many transgender people, undergoing gender-affirming surgery is a crucial step toward a healthy gender transition. While not all transgender people need or want gender-affirming surgeries to be part of their transitions, receiving such surgeries may be life saving for some who do. The American Medical Association has established that gender-affirming surgery is effective and … Continue Reading
Pro bono projects can provide some of the most meaningful and interesting moments in a lawyer’s career. It’s usually an easy decision to say “yes” when presented with a pro bono opportunity, because this type of work gives young lawyers invaluable experience and offers all lawyers a purposeful way to give back to their communities. … Continue Reading
Proskauer honored its lawyers and staff who have made significant contributions to the Firm’s pro bono and corporate social responsibility programs this year at its 11th Annual Golden Gavel Awards ceremony on January 22. The following is a list of recipients alphabetically by project. Protecting Voting Rights These attorneys and paralegals ensured that a team … Continue Reading
With over two million Americans behind bars, this country has the highest incarceration rate in the world. Our society pays a big price for that distinction, not only in the staggering cost of incarceration itself but in the long-term effects – most notably in terms of employment and housing – on previously incarcerated individuals and … Continue Reading
Justice in the Internet Age: Legal Access for Rural Americans
By William C. Silverman and Alexander Volpicello on Posted in Pro Bono
Pro Bono for Immigrant Families: Shutting off Asylum at the Southern Border
By William C. Silverman on Posted in Immigration, Pro Bono
Criminal Justice Reform in America: Shifting Attitudes on Incarceration
By William C. Silverman and Alexander Volpicello on Posted in Criminal Justice Reform, Pro Bono
Criminal Justice Reform in America: Rethinking the Role of the Prosecutor
By William C. Silverman, Alexander Volpicello and Lillian Anderson on Posted in Criminal Justice Reform
NY State Legislature to Hold Hearings on Court Simplification
By William C. Silverman, Alexander Volpicello and Lillian Anderson on Posted in Court Reform
Combating Human Trafficking: How the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Leads the Way
By William C. Silverman and Aneesah Ayub on Posted in Anti-Trafficking, Human Rights, Pro Bono
Pro Bono for Immigrant Families: Protecting Access to Counsel
By William C. Silverman on Posted in Immigration, Pro Bono
The Best Time to Start Doing Pro Bono Work? Your First Day.
By William C. Silverman on Posted in Corporate Social Responsibility, Pro Bono
Maximizing Access to Justice Through Pro Bono Priorities
By William C. Silverman and Ross Evans on Posted in Pro Bono
Medical Report Supports Urgent Need for Humane Immigration Policies
By William C. Silverman and Sydney Juliano on Posted in Immigration, Pro Bono
Criminal Justice Reform in America: Confronting Reentry Challenges
By William C. Silverman on Posted in Criminal Justice Reform, Pro Bono
In Defense of Immigration
By William C. Silverman on Posted in Immigration
Pro Bono for Immigrant Families: The Journey North
By William C. Silverman and Valarie McPherson on Posted in Human Rights, Immigration, Pro Bono
Pro Bono for Immigrant Families: Seeking Asylum in the U.S. from Mexico
By William C. Silverman on Posted in Human Rights, Immigration, Pro Bono
The Right to Counsel in Civil Proceedings: An International Perspective
By William C. Silverman and Madison Marko on Posted in Court Reform, Pro Bono
The Proposal to Simplify New York’s Court Structure
By William C. Silverman on Posted in Court Reform, Pro Bono
Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts to Honor Proskauer with Founders Award
By William C. Silverman on Posted in Pro Bono
How Changes in Immigration Policy Impact Pro Bono Work
By William C. Silverman and Adam Snyder on Posted in Immigration, Pro Bono
Proskauer Continues Partnership with John Jay College
By William C. Silverman on Posted in Education, Immigration
Bloomberg LP and Proskauer Serve LGBTQ Immigrant Survivors of Hate Violence
By William C. Silverman and Wendy Dessy on Posted in LGBT Civil Rights, Pro Bono
Making Gender-Affirming Surgeries a Possibility for Low-Income Transgender People
By William C. Silverman and Adam Snyder on Posted in LGBT Civil Rights, Pro Bono
How to Identify and Address Secondary Trauma
By William C. Silverman and Madison Marko on Posted in Pro Bono
Proskauer Honors Public Service
By William C. Silverman and Wendy Dessy on Posted in Corporate Social Responsibility, Pro Bono
New York Law on Sealing Convictions Helps Some Begin a New Life
By William C. Silverman on Posted in Criminal Justice Reform, Pro Bono
