Pro Bono Award Named for Late Pillsbury Partner

SAN FRANCISCO--This Thursday, the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence will dedicate its 22nd Anniversary Dinner to late Pillsbury partner and champion of responsible gun legislation Dick Odgers, who passed away in September 2014. The organization also will honor Odgers by permanently renaming its annual pro bono award. This year, the first-ever Richard W. Odgers Pro Bono Partner Award will be presented to Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP.

“Dick Odgers was a dearly beloved founder, supporter and friend of the Law Center’s, serving as our first president, as well as an active board member for 16 years,” the organization said. “In tribute to his remarkable legacy as an attorney and champion of public service, the Law Center has named our annual pro bono award in his memory.”

Odgers joined Pillsbury more than 50 years ago, focusing his practice on antitrust litigation and regulatory matters. After departing to serve as Executive Vice President and General Counsel for a telecommunications company, he rejoined the firm in 1998. For many years, Odgers was a director of the Pillsbury Foundation, which oversees the firm’s charitable giving.

A beloved presence in the firm, Odgers is remembered by colleagues as energetic and relentless in his pursuit of service to the community. In addition to his work advocating for responsible gun laws, he served the community through various legal aid and legal services organizations and has been the recipient of many honors and awards for his leadership on access-to-justice causes.

In furtherance of Odgers’ legacy, Pillsbury’s ties to the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence remain strong. The firm is a sponsor of the Law Center’s annual dinner, and partners Jim Seff, Ken Taber and John Heisse are members of the Law Center’s Board of Directors. The Hon. Vaughn Walker, a former Pillsbury partner, is the Law Center’s director and will share special remarks about Odgers at this year’s dinner.

The Law Center’s anniversary reception and dinner will take place Thursday, June 18, at 6 p.m. at San Francisco’s Fairmont Hotel. To learn more about the event or to purchase tickets, visit the Law Center’s website.

About Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

Pillsbury is a full-service law firm with an industry focus on energy & natural resources, financial services including financial institutions, real estate & construction, and technology. Based in the world's major financial, technology and energy centers, Pillsbury counsels clients on global business, regulatory and litigation matters. We work in multidisciplinary teams that allow us to understand our clients’ objectives, anticipate trends and bring a 360-degree perspective to complex business and legal issues—helping clients to take greater advantage of new opportunities, meet and exceed their objectives and better mitigate risk. This collaborative work style helps produce the results our clients seek.