SAN FRANCISCO, April 21, 2023: In the ninth annual Law Rocks San Francisco concert competition, Morgan Lewis & ROCKius swept all three honors: the Hustle and Heart Award for the most individual donations; overall winner based on audience reaction, ticket sales, and donations; and the highly coveted Judges’ Choice Award, which is decided by professional musicians and producers. ROCKius supporters brought in over $70,000, with more than $55,000 in donations going to Child Advocates of Silicon Valley.
Started in 2009, Law Rocks has provided an opportunity for the global legal community to bring attention and funding to local nonprofits through band fundraising competitions in cities around the world. In this one concert alone, seven bands of lawyers and judges raised more than $200,000 in support of eight local charities—a record high out of 146 Law Rocks concerts globally to date.
The band comprises Morgan Lewis partners Joan Haratani, Mike Schlemmer, Geoff Holtz, and Doug Crisman; of counsel Louis Nguyen; senior attorney Marisa Chaves; and associate Ali Gonsman, together with friends and family as guest musicians. Morgan Lewis & ROCKius started in 2015 as a fun way for the firm’s Northern California lawyers to share their creative talents. The band’s leader is Joan, the drummer who “sets the beat that keeps us all aligned.”
Trumpet player Mike sits on the board of the band’s selected charity, Child Advocates of Silicon Valley, which serves foster youth in the Santa Clara County Dependency Court System from birth to age 21. Child Advocates ensures that foster youth receive mentoring and support by providing stable adult court-appointed advocates, influencing foster youth policies, and building community partnerships. Morgan Lewis is proud to also provide pro bono counsel and financial support to the organization.
Learn more about Morgan Lewis’s pro bono efforts and community engagement.