Kilpatrick Townsend’s Michael Rafter Appointed Board President of Atlanta Legal Aid Society

ATLANTA (February 15) -- Michael Rafter, a partner in Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton’s leading Intellectual Property Department, has been appointed the Board President of Atlanta Legal Aid Society, Inc.  As Atlanta Legal Aid’s sixty-seventh president, Mr. Rafter will lead the board in over­seeing the operations of the society and advising the executive director and staff on operational matters; preside over board and executive committee meetings; and assist with fundraising.

“It is an incredible honor to be part of an organization which has been an such important part of my life and the lives of thousands of metro Atlantans for years,” Mr. Rafter said. “I look forward to working with my dedicated colleagues at Atlanta Legal Aid as we continue to provide outstanding legal services to those in greatest need.”

“I am delighted to have Mike as our new President,” said Steve Gottlieb, Executive Director, Atlanta Legal Aid Society. “He continues a long tradition of strong supporters of Atlanta Legal Aid coming from Kilpatrick Townsend. Mike also brings additional insight about our work because his wife, Carmen, worked for Legal Aid as a staff attorney.”

Kilpatrick Townsend is one of the nation’s leaders in providing pro bono service. Since the formalization of the firm’s pro bono program, thousands of individuals and hundreds of organizations, including Atlanta Legal Aid, have benefited from the pro bono representation of Kilpatrick Townsend attorneys. Since 2000, Kilpatrick Townsend has contributed over 305,488 pro bono hours valued at over $93 million dollars.

“I’m proud of Mike and his strong, ongoing commitment to Atlanta Legal Aid,” said Debbie Segal, Kilpatrick Townsend Pro Bono Partner who serves as an Atlanta Legal Aid Advisory Board Member. “Mike brings enthusiasm, compassion, and a keen intellect to serving his Atlanta Legal Aid clients and I know these attributes will serve him well as he begins his new role as president.”

Mr. Rafter and Kilpatrick Townsend have a long history of working closely with Legal Aid. Dean Russell, a Kilpatrick Townsend partner and Atlanta Legal Aid president in 2004, recruited Mr. Rafter to assist in one of the firm’s signature programs – the grandparent adoption project, a partnership that Kilpatrick has had with Legal Aid. That commitment led to an invitation to join the Advisory Committee where he participated in the brainstorming sessions that resulted in Atlanta Legal Aid’s Strategic Plan. From the Advisory Board, Mr. Rafter joined the Board and then the Executive Committee.

For more information about Mr. Rafter and his practice, please visit:  http://www.kilpatricktownsend.com/en/Who_We_Are/Professionals/R/RafterMichaelW11556.aspx

Founded more than 150 years ago, Kilpatrick Townsend is a full-service international law firm with more than 630 attorneys in 18 offices, including: in the United States (Atlanta, Augusta, Charlotte, Denver, New York City, Oakland, Raleigh, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Silicon Valley, Walnut Creek, Washington, DC, and Winston-Salem); in Asia (Taipei and Tokyo); in Europe (Stockholm); and, in the Middle East (Dubai). For more information, please visit www.kilpatricktownsend.com.

Founded in 1924, Atlanta Legal Aid Society, Inc. is the primary provider of legal services to low-income people in Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Clayton and Cobb counties. Attorneys provide representation exclusively in civil (non-criminal) matters including housing, consumer fraud, public benefits, employment, education, health, spouse abuse and child custody cases. They also represent those who are elderly, disabled, mentally ill or who have AIDS, cancer or ALS. Last year, attorneys handled over 23,000 cases. For more information visit www.atlantalegalaid.org.

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