At Bricker & Eckler, the communities in which we live and work come first. As a firm and as individuals, we are dedicated to supporting our communities through active involvement in local organizations and programs.
The firm is recognized for its participation in the arts and humanities, education, health and human services, and environmental and civic endeavors. For example, in 2008, Business First presented Bricker & Eckler with the Corporate Caring Award for the Arts & Humanities category. The firm was also a Corporate Caring Award winner in 2002 when we were named the Benefactor of the Year, also by Business First.
Because the environment is also of great importance to Bricker & Eckler, the BE Green Committee was formed. The group works diligently to reduce our carbon footprint and encourage reuse and recycling through various firm-wide initiatives. In 2008, our efforts were noticed and we were named a Law Office Climate Challenge Partner by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the American Bar Association. We were also recognized by the GreenSpot, which is part of the Get Green Columbus program run by Mayor Michael Coleman.
In addition to undertaking an annual United Way campaign, Bricker & Eckler employees contribute to a different charity each month for "Dress Down for Charity" casual Fridays. Organizations that have received these contributions include the Columbus Landmarks Foundation, MADD, the American Red Cross, the Open Shelter, the Arthritis Foundation, and Action for Children.
Firm employees also participate in clothing drives and Adopt-A-Family projects during the holidays, blood donations for the American Red Cross, and projects for the Mid-Ohio Food Bank. Additionally, both attorneys and staff serve on the board of trustees and various committees of Rebuilding Together Columbus, formerly Columbus Christmas in April, which was locally founded by Bricker & Eckler attorneys in 1989.
In recent years, Bricker & Eckler has celebrated the anniversary of its founding by bestowing a single generous gift to certain civic and charitable organizations. Recipients include COSI, Capital University Law School, the Columbus Cancer Clinic, the Legal Aid Society of Columbus, the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, the Moritz College of Law at The Ohio State University, BalletMet Columbus, and the Ohio Historical Society.
Through the firm's gifts to the Ohio State Bar Foundation, grants have been awarded to programs that promote public understanding of the law and improvements in the justice system throughout Ohio. Some programs supported by these grants include the Ohio Center for Law-Related Education Mock Trial Program, which reaches over 6,000 high school students; the OLAF Pro Bono Program, which works to meet the civil legal needs of the poor; and a program of the Midwest Center for Law and the Deaf that provides access to legal services for the deaf and hard-of-hearing.
Bricker & Eckler is proud to support initiatives that enhance the community in which we live and work, and the firm will gladly continue this commitment for years to come.