McGuireWoods senior counsel and pro bono director Angie Zimmern has been selected to receive a Charlotte Business Journal Women in Business Achievement Award. Zimmern is one of 25 women honored this year for significant contributions to their professions and communities.
Zimmern leads efforts to devise and execute McGuireWoods’ pro bono initiatives, which have been recognized nationally and regionally for innovation and impact. She works with leaders in McGuireWoods offices to expand local pro bono programs and build productive partnerships with corporate law departments.
Before assuming her firmwide leadership role in 2019, Zimmern was deeply involved in some of the firm’s most successful initiatives as co-coordinator of pro bono efforts for the Charlotte office, including projects involving child advocacy, domestic violence prevention, consumer matters, veterans’ affairs, tax relief and estate planning.
She played a key role in the launch of Charlotte Triage, a novel program that expands pro bono services for low-income residents and eases burdens on legal aid organizations. McGuireWoods collaborated with clients Bank of America, Duke Energy and Wells Fargo in developing the program, which outsources work to law firms and corporate law departments in areas where legal aid is most needed. The project earned the firm recognition on The National Law Journal’s Pro Bono Hot List.
“Angie’s passion for pro bono service has helped countless individuals and families in our region and strengthened the firm’s client and community relationships,” said John McDonald, managing partner of McGuireWoods’ Charlotte office. “I can’t think of a more deserving recipient of this award.”
In 2018, Zimmern received a Distinguished Pro Bono Service Award, a lifetime achievement honor presented by the Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy, the Council for Children’s Rights and Legal Aid of North Carolina. She volunteers as a pro bono attorney representing children in high-conflict custody cases through the Council for Children’s Rights Custody Advocacy Program.
“I am proud to be included in this group of respected women business leaders and grateful to my McGuireWoods colleagues for their unwavering support of our pro bono efforts,” Zimmern said.