Pro Bono Honoree: Winter 2008/09
Guillermo Alvarez, Cooley Godward Kronish LLP

Though Guillermo has his own case load at Palo Alto-based Cooley Godward Kronish, he generously gives his time to translating for Legal Aid-referred Spanish speaking clients. Many clients referred to Cooley by the Legal Aid Society only speak Spanish, or are more comfortable speaking in their native Spanish.  Guillermo stays busy translating up to eight cases at a time.

Prior to joining Cooley in 2003, Guillermo was volunteering in his community, helping inmates and their families as a volunteer at the Service League of San Mateo.  He says that his volunteerism comes from his parents and grandparents who have always helped the community and who taught him to give back at an early age.  Volunteering “helps to balance my life out. It gives me the feeling that I’m not just here making money, I’m making a difference,” Guillermo said.

Guillermo is often involved from the very beginning of a Cooley pro bono case involving a Spanish speaking client. For clients with little to no education, some legal terms, even when translated into Spanish, are hard to understand.  Guillermo makes sure every client knows exactly what the attorneys and judge are saying in their case.  Though Cooley attorneys can request Spanish court translators, they are not always available or have to leave mid-hearing so Guillermo often comes along to help translate in court. 

For Guillermo all the clients he has helped stand out in his mind. “They’re so grateful at the end, crying and thanking you. It is so emotional when you get the outcome you wanted.”

Guillermo is truly grateful to be at a firm that has such a big heart, where partners are involved in pro bono and the number of attorneys who do pro bono work is enormous.  In 2008, Cooley was presented with The Guardian of Justice Award from the Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County in recognition of the Firm’s pro bono work with Legal Aid Society.