LOS ANGELES – APRIL 11, 2012 – Michael Turrill, a litigation partner at Arent Fox LLP, has been named Pro Bono Attorney of the Year by the University of Southern California’s Public Interest Law Foundation. A firm believer in the importance of giving back to his community, Michael has spent many years working with the Alliance for Children’s Rights, particularly with its pro bono adoption project. After he joined Arent Fox in 2008, Michael introduced the firm to the Alliance, which provided training for attorneys who were interested in participating in its programs. Since then he and several of his colleagues have continued to provide assistance with its pro bono adoption project that helps families to finalize foster care adoptions.

“Michael has always shown a strong sense of responsibility to his clients, his community and as an involved alumnus of our law school,” noted Robert Rasmussen, dean of the Gould School of Law. “This award reflects our acknowledgement of his dedication to providing free legal assistance to deserving people in need.”

“I am very humbled to be honored by USC’s Public Interest Law Foundation in this way,” said Michael. “While I have been involved in some high-profile pro bono matters, nothing has given me quite the satisfaction I feel when helping families to successfully navigate and overcome the legal and other obstacles associated with adopting children of all ages who need a stable, supportive and loving home environment where they can develop life skills and thrive."

Among his earlier pro bono cases, Michael served as one of the lead attorneys in two groundbreaking Fair Housing civil rights cases in partnership with the Housing Rights Center of Southern California. These cases, which alleged racial discrimination in rental practices by two major Southern California landlords, resulted in record-setting financial settlements and injunctive relief for Michael’s clients. Michael currently serves as a member of Arent Fox’s Pro Bono Publico Committee and he was a board member of the Western Center on Law and Poverty from 2005 through 2011.