Lewis Roca Lawyers Recognized by The Arizona Bar Foundation for Their Pro Bono Services to the Community

Honors & Recognitions

07/13/2020

PHOENIX (July 13, 2020) – Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie announced that partners Rob Charles and Melanie Pate have been named two of the Top 50 Pro Bono Attorneys in 2020 by The Arizona Bar Foundation. The Arizona Bar Foundation’s annual Pro Bono Awards recognize the commitment to public service by Arizona attorneys and law firms. Award winners were selected based on nominations from their peers and colleagues and will be honored during the Foundation’s annual Awards Luncheon at the State Bar’s annual convention in Tucson on December 2, 2020.

Charles is a partner and leader in the firm’s Bankruptcy and Creditors' Rights team, practicing throughout Arizona and Nevada. He represents clients in business bankruptcy cases, commercial lawsuits and business transactions. He works with secured and unsecured creditors, as well as debtors, through complex Chapter 11 bankruptcy issues encompassing all aspects of debtor/creditor relationships, workouts and litigation. Charles also advises clients in the Uniform Commercial Code matters, with expertise in negotiable instruments, banking law and secured transactions. He actively represents plaintiffs and defendants in civil and commercial litigation in the state and federal courts.

As a Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy and an Adjunct Professor teaching bankruptcy reorganization at the University of Arizona College of Law, Charles is continually recognized by the industry for the highest standards of leadership and experience in bankruptcy law and his commitment to the community. He has received numerous accolades for his pro bono services that include providing legal advice on bankruptcy matters as well as serving as a member of the advisory board of Volunteer Lawyers Program, a division of Southern Arizona Legal Aid Inc.

Pate is an employment litigator and civil rights attorney. She regularly represents public and private clients before state and federal judicial and administrative authorities. She handles highly confidential and complex matters and has had great success in achieving the full dismissal of claims against employers, housing providers, and places of public accommodation. Additionally, she provides preventative counseling and training on risk management and litigation avoidance to businesses of all sizes, in a variety of industries. Pate also provides pro bono employment law advice to a number of non-profit organizations. During the past year, she helped two Cuban refugees gain asylum in the United States through her work with the Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project.

Before joining the firm, Pate spent 15 years working in the Arizona Attorney General's Office in several capacities. She spent nearly five years as Chief Counsel of the Arizona Civil Rights Division, almost two years as Chief Counsel for the Compliance Section of the Arizona Civil Rights Division, and nine years as an Assistant Attorney General in the Employment Law Section. Pate has more than 24 years of experience representing large public and private employers and helps her clients develop specific strategies based on her knowledge of state and federal enforcement agencies and how they make administrative rulings on employment law and civil rights matters.

About the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services & Education

The Arizona Foundation for Legal Services & Education (Arizona Bar Foundation) provides technical and financial assistance to legal aid organizations, schools and community groups. The Arizona Foundation for Legal Services & Education promotes “Access to Justice for All Arizonans” by supporting law-related education and free legal services and by promoting statewide collaborative efforts.

About Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie LLP

Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie LLP is an Am Law 200 commercial law firm handling complex matters in litigation, intellectual property, business transactions, gaming, government relations and other practice areas. Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie offices are located in Albuquerque, Colorado Springs, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Reno, Silicon Valley and Tucson. For more information, visit lewisroca.com.

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