Attorney Feels the Rewards of Pro Bono Work

With a practice focused on defense in the employment law arena, Tulsa attorney Patrick Cipolla found little pro bono work in his chosen area. That is until he received a phone call in 1999 from Kim Schrader. Ms. Schrader had found his firm’s name (Gable & Gotwals) in the yellow pages. Ms. Schrader was in desperate need of a lawyer, and she could not afford one.

After returning from medical leave, she had been terminated by her employer. Ms. Schrader worked for a small medical office in a small town. She felt her termination was due to the various medical conditions she had. However, most federal employment laws apply only to employers with 15 or more employees.

Attorneys from Legal Aid Services of Eastern Oklahoma were interested in the matter but rarely handled this type of employment law matter. Without the help of an employment law attorney, Ms. Schrader’s case was going to fall through the cracks of our justice system. Recognizing this injustice, Mr. Cipolla took the case.

“I had been doing defense work for close to seven years. I could sniff out discrimination. This case had merit,” he said.

After researching the matter, he discovered the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This act provided a remedy for Ms. Schrader since her employer received federal funds in the form of Medicare and Medicaid.

Mr. Cipolla devoted a considerable amount of time to Ms. Schrader’s case. He commenced the case in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma, and the court dismissed it. Mr. Cipolla then appealed the matter to the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. The Tenth Circuit ruled in favor of Ms. Schrader and remanded the case back to the Northern District for a trial. Then, the defense filed a summary judgment motion, which Mr. Cipolla defeated. Finally, with trial looming a week away, the case settled. Mr. Cipolla had worked on the matter for a total of five years.

Without Mr. Cipolla, Ms. Schrader would not have been given the opportunity to pursue her claim. Mr. Cipolla notes this was a win-win situation for both him and Ms. Schrader. Ms. Schrader, in addition to obtaining a favorable result, now has a better attitude about herself, attorneys and people in general. Mr. Cipolla then observed how important it was for him to take on this case.

“By doing only defense work for paying clients, I was on the verge of losing sight of the real needs of individuals who could not afford legal services,” Mr. Cipolla said. “Attorneys need to do pro bono work because they really can make a difference.”

Mr. Cipolla provides a great example of an attorney going above and beyond in fulfilling his pro bono duty. Further, his work has improved the reputation of all attorneys.