COMMUNITY SERVICE

11-5-2009 - Joanna L. Suyes presented the Make it Home Program at Louisa High School. Marks & Harrison is proud to conduct their safe driving program for the first time at Louisa High School.

8-3-2009 - Penn Crawford presented Marks & Harrison's Make It Home Program at Open High School.  Marks & Harrison has conducted this program at Open High School for 3 years.

7-22-2009 - Marks & Harrison sponsored Tappahannock's annual RivahFest that took place Saturday, June 20. This marks the 4th year Marks & Harrison has partnered with Essex County and other local businesses to help support the festival.

6-1-2009 - New Kent Youth Association Baseball NKYA Baseball is a volunteer organization that strives to build confidence, citizenship and positive character in our youth. Marks & Harrison is proud to be a part of New Kent Youth Association Baseball.

5-30-2009 -James Mick Kessel served as a volunteer at the Richmond Animal League's annual Woofstock Charity Event in Richmond, VA. Over 2,000 people lined the streets of historic Monument Avenue to support the rescue and adoption efforts of Richmond Animal League.

5-1-2009 - Marks & Harrison is a proud supporter of the Central Virginia Foodbank. The foodbank provides more than 5 meals for every $1 donation. The extraordinary work done by the Central Virginia Foodbank ensures that the children in Central Virginia have enough to eat.

4-25-2009 - Marks & Harrison congratulates Emily Pemberton and James Mick Kessel for participating in the ASK Fun Walk and 5K for Cancer Research. This annual event raises money to help fund childhood cancer research and better children's lives.

4-29-2009 - James Mick Kessel participated in Richmond Public Schools' Prom Safety Awareness Day. Marks & Harrison participated in the event along with the Virginia State Police, Richmond City Police Department, and Drive Smart Virginia to stress the importance of not driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

3-31-2009 - James A. McCauley and John C. Shea along with their wives, attended the “Shinning Knights Gala” to benefit the VCU Medical Center Trauma Program. This program which was sponsored by Marks & Harrison along with Owens & Minor, Lifenet, Virginia Blood Services, and other sponsors was held at the Commonwealth Club. This event sought to raise funds for the extraordinary work done by the trauma program at the VCU Medical Center.

This sponsorship by Marks & Harrison is one in a long line of contributions by Marks & Harrison to the work of VCU Medical Center. Marks & Harrison has donated funds to renovate the waiting area and a conference room in the Neuroscience Intensive Care unit at MCV. The Firm is also contributed monies to renovate the patient treatment areas in the Neuroscience Intensive Care unit where the most seriously brain and spinal cord patients are treated. In addition the Firm has co-sponsored with the nurses at MCV a safety program directed at teenage drinking and driving.

Finally, attorneys at Marks & Harrison has been invited to speak to the neurosurgical residents at MCV Hospital at MCV Medical school on the role of attorneys and their interaction with physicians.

3-30-09 - Congratulations to J.R. Davis, James Mick Kessel, Bridget N. Long, James A. McCauley, and John C. Shea for completing the Monument Avenue 10K. This year marked the 10^th anniversary of the race that has been voted the best road race in the Southeast.

3-27-09 - James Mick Kessel served as a judge for the 2009 Merhige Environmental Law Competition at University of Richmond.

3-21-09 - Marks & Harrison congratulates James Mick Kessel for finishing the 2009 SPCA's Dog Run 5K. In 2009 this event raised more than $108,000 for the orphaned animas cared for by the Richmond SPCA.

2-28-2009 - James Mick Kessel participated in the SCAN 5K on February 28, 2009 along with a little over 500 other runners. SCAN (Stop Child Abuse Now) works to provide the awareness, education, and support needed to reduce the occurrence of abuse and neglect committed against children. Marks & Harrison proudly sponsored and supported this event by distributing t-shirts, cups, goodie bags, binders, and handouts.

    

2-20-2009 - Marks & Harrison is proud to have contributed $250.00 to the Rappahannock Legal Services, Inc. (RLS). The contribution will aid in providing free civil legal services to the poor.

2-16-2009 - Marks & Harrison is proud to have contributed $1,000 to the Virginia Fair Trial Project. Marks & Harrison understands it is important to have a strong, well-funded indigent defense system in Virginia. In the past six years VFTP and its partner organizations have been able to achieve a lot, including increased funding for court-appointed lawyers, fee waivers, standards of practice, a statewide court-appointed list, expansion of the Public Defender Commission into the Virginia Indigent Defense Commission and the necessary funding so that public defender caseloads can be decreased.

2-05-2009 - John D. Ayers and J. Penn Crawford presented the Make It Home Program at L.C. Byrd High School on January 29-30. Marks & Harrison has sponsored this teen drinking and driving safety program for over 12 years. The program was initially launched in conjunction with nurses in the Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit at the Medical College of Virginia.

Proudly Serving our Community as well as our Clients

Our philosophy hasn’t changed since 1911—clients come first, period. For us that means helping injured people and their families both within the courtroom and in the community. Marks & Harrison has a proud tradition of supporting community and charitable organizations. Each year, Marks & Harrison staff and attorney donate time and money to organizations that promote safety and help injured people.

Brain Injury Association of Virginia's 2008 Charity Golf Classic

Marks & Harrison contributed to a Hole Sponsorship of the 2008 BIAV Charity Golf Classic which takes place October 13th at the Independence Golf Club.

VCU Medical Center Trauma Program

Marks & Harrison donated to the Program's fundraising gala which will take place March 28th, 2009.  VCU Medical Center's Trauma Program is the fastest growing and one of the largest in Virginia.  It is one of two Trauma Programs in the state verified by the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma.

March of Dimes

Marks & Harrison helped the Charlottesville community raise over $44,000 to aid in pediatric research.

Louisa Thunder

Louisa Thunder is the only girls fast pitch travel program in Louisa county, outside of school sports.

Enon Football & Cheerleading

After Enon found itself without money, or equipment, to field teams for the 2008 season, Marks & Harrison donated money to help the football team and cheerleaders purchase new equipment.

Historic Richmond Foundation

Marks & Harrison sponsored the Historic Richmond Foundation's Gala Celebration at the National Theater.

Along with the Historic Richmond foundation Marks & Harrison is a sponsor of the 2007 Art of Richmond show. The event will be held on May 3, 2007 at Planet Zero Art Center. The event will feature architectural salvage and vintage photographs of Richmond.

Richmond County Little League

Marks & Harrison is proud to sponsor a team in the Richmond County Little League for the 2007 season.

Susan G. Komen Race For The Cure

Marks & Harrison is proud to sponsor a team in the 10th Anniversary of the Komen Richmond Race for the Cure. The race will take place on May 12 on Brown's Island. "Events such as the Komen Richmond Race for the Cure® allow the Richmond Affiliate to support Komen's vision of a world without breast cancer and promote the promise to save lives and end breast cancer forever by empowering people, ensuring quality of care for all and energizing sciences to find the cures" (www.komenrichmond.org).

Tappahannock Rivah Fest

Marks & Harrison has partnered with the Tappahannock Rivah Fest. The firm will have a tent at the event providing drinks to those in attendance. The Rivah Fest will take place on June 16 in Tappahannock, VA.

Oliver White Hill Foundation

Marks and Harrison is pleased to have joined with a number of law firms and businesses in the Central Virginia area in sponsoring the celebration of the 100^th birthday of Oliver W. Hill on Friday, May 4, 2007. Oliver W. Hill is a legal legend having joined with other civil rights pioneers in pursuing civil rights litigation on behalf of African Americans in Virginia. The work of Oliver W. Hill led to greater rights for all American citizens and in August of 1999 Mr. Hill received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in America. In July of 2005 Mr. Hill was awarded the NAACP’s highest award, the Spingarn Medal.

VCU Children's Medical Center

On April 20, 2006 Marks & Harrison continued their support of the VCU Children's Medical Center by making a donation during a telethon hosted by CBS 6. With the centers 100,000 outpatient visits, 450 air and ground transports, 19,000 emergency room visits, 1,000 intensive care admissions, and 3,500 acute care admissions per year Marks & Harrison understands the importance of pediatric heath in Central Virginia. A video clip of of the telethon is available under Firm News & Press.

Rappahannock Legal Services, Inc.

On January 25, 2007 John C. Shea of Marks & Harrison made a donation to Rappahannock Legal Services, Inc. This non-profit corporation provides free civil legal services to those who are unable to afford needed legal assistance.

In Memoriam: Sarah Hearney

In 2004, the firm helped to establish grants in memory of a Marks & Harrison client killed in a trucking crash. Grants were given to two Petersburg organizations, the Crater Criminal Justice Society and the Progress-Index, in memory of Sarah Hearney. At the time of her tragic death, Ms. Hearney, age 25, had been a police officer for only one week and was a former reporter with the Progress-Index.

Make It Home - keeping high school students safe

The firm also continues its community service program “Make It Home” which is directed at reducing drinking and driving among high school students. This program has been shown to over 9,000 students throughout central Virginia. Marks & Harrison started “Make It Home” ten years ago in collaboration with nurses at the Medical College of Virginia (MCV). Marks and Harrison attorneys, along with nurses from MCV, visit high schools with a presentation that includes a video and a contract that the students and their parents both sign. The student agrees to be responsible if they have chosen to drink, by not driving, and the parent agrees to ensure that their child gets home safely. If you would like more information about this program, please send an email to abarr@marksandharrison.com.

Brain Injury Association of Virginia

Marks & Harrison is a proud sponsor of the Brain Injury Association of Virginia. BIAV, uses support groups, education, referral assistance, outreach advocacy and public awareness to support survivors of brain injuries.

The Legal Information Network for Cancer (LINC)

Marks & Harrison continues to support LINC, the Legal Information Network for Cancer. LINC is a non-profit, community-based organization dedicated to helping people with the legal issues that arise from the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Through LINC, the attorneys of Marks & Harrison have assisted several individuals who are cancer patients with numerous non-medical issues relating to their condition. Marks & Harrison attorneys have aided these individuals on health insurance coverage issues, wills, financial support and Social Security Disability. The firm has been active in this program since its beginning in 1997. LINC offers free advocacy services to technical assistance to cancer patients to help them resolve non-medical problems that confront them during their cancer battles. If you are interested in learning more about this program, then call our office at 282-0999 or 1-800-283-2202 or contact LINC at 644-5462 or 877-644-LINC http://www.cancerlinc.org

Richmond Brain Tumor Support Group

Marks & Harrison is proud to support the Richmond Brain Tumor Support Group. The Group is a non-profit dedicated to providing support for brain tumor survivors and their loved ones, promoting awareness for brain tumor issues, and advocating for brain tumor research in Central Virginia. For more information visit their website at www.curebraintumor.org.

Charlottesville Parks & Recreation

Marks & Harrison has sponsored a Co-Rec Softball team for several season. The Marks & Harrison team has made the playoffs several times.

Charlottesville Free Clinic

Marks & Harrison has supported the Charlottesville Free Clinic through the donation of catered meals for volunteers. The Clinic "provides high quality health care to the 'working uninsured' who would otherwise have no access to care."

Central Virginia Legal Aid Society

"Founded in 1971, CVLAS' mission is, and has always been, the zealous legal representation without charge to low income or elderly clients in civil cases and to help the low income and elderly client community through preventive community legal education."

Virginia Fair Trial Project

Marks & Harrison supports the Virginia Fair Trial Project as part of the Bob Hall VTLA Board of Governors Challenge.  Our support will help keep the indigent defense reform movement alive so that all Virginians can have access to fair trials.

Greater Richmond Bar Foundation

Marks & Harrison has continued to support the Greater Richmond Bar Foundation for several years.  Our contributions help to provide legal service to the local nonprofit community through their Pro Bono Clearinghouse program, sponsor law-related educational and service projects.

If you would like the firm to consider a specific community service project, please send an email to lawyers@marksandharrison.com.