Dorsey & Whitney LLP, Minneapolis, has received the 2005 Community Partnership Award from Perspectives, Inc., one of the largest nonprofit supportive housing programs in Minnesota. For the past 12 years, Dorsey & Whitney has provided pro bono legal assistance to Perspectives programs, guided its real estate decisions and offered ongoing legal counsel.

"Over the past 12 years, 11 of our attorneys have worked with Perspectives on a variety of real estate, employment, intellectual property and other matters," said Steven E. Carlson, partner in charge of pro bono activities at Dorsey’s Minneapolis office. "It’s gratifying for all of us to witness how this organization has grown in its ability to make a difference in the lives of so many mothers and children. It’s a privilege for us to work with a team that produces such positive results for families in the Twin Cities."

Dorsey guided Perspectives through the process of acquiring five apartment buildings and its family center, all in the city of St. Louis Park. The firm helped in arranging financing of multimillion dollar building rehabilitation efforts.

"Dorsey & Whitney’s pro bono support has been absolutely critical to our recent success," said Perspectives’ president Jeannie Seeley-Smith. "The firm has helped us to make wise decisions concerning our growth while also enabling us to conserve much needed resources for direct programming to children and families."

Now in its second year, Perspectives’ Community Partnership Award is presented annually to an organization that has provided significant contribution to assisting Perspectives in furthering its mission—to improve the quality of life for homeless and at risk families and children. The 2004 award recipient was Wells Fargo Bank.

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