Posted in: Lawyers › None, Pro Bono
Jonathan Lewis’ military connection and history of service is inspired by his time as a firefighter, medic and former cadet.
Lewis — a criminal defense attorney at the Law Office of Jonathan Lewis in Columbia — works closely with the armed forces to provide essential pro bono services. To honor his impact in the military community, the American Bar Association (ABA) recently recognized Lewis with its 2020 Military Pro Bono Project Outstanding Services Award.
“To be able to help our uniformed men and women with their legal needs is to help assure their legal protections, as they serve and protect us and our nation,” Lewis says. “Simply put, it's a chance to show how much I appreciate them, and all that they regularly sacrifice for us all.”
Lewis’ commitment to service extends long before his law career.
While pursuing his bachelor’s degree at Norwich University, the Military College of Vermont, he was involved in Marine Corps ROTC and the Corps of Cadets. After graduation, he worked in emergency medicine as a firefighter/medic for over 10 years. Now, as a young lawyer, he regularly gives back to the uniformed services through his pro bono work.
The Military Pro Bono Project Outstanding Services Award is presented annually by the ABA Standing Committee on Legal Assistance for Military Personnel (LAMP) to individual attorneys, law firms and law departments that have provided exceptional service through the Military Pro Bono Project. Individual attorney recipients for 2020 accepted three or more cases or provided 50 or more pro bono hours.
While the honor comes as a surprise to Lewis, it’s no secret that his work deserves recognition.
“This is a tremendous honor to be recognized by an ABA Division that does so much good for our men and women in uniform,” Lewis says. “I am truly so humbled and speechless to have been recognized by them for some of the work I find the most rewarding.”