Fredrikson was honored with a 2026 Community Impact Award for Pro Bono Work from Twin Cities Business. The firm was recognized for its contributions to Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid's (MMLA) work supporting immigration detainees held in facilities throughout Minnesota and the country.
The Community Impact Awards recognize nonprofits, for-profits and corporate businesses that are leading the efforts to strengthen communities, expand opportunities and create a meaningful impact.
"The firm's work with Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid reflects our belief that pro bono service is most effective when firms listen carefully and show up as true partners," Fredrikson Director of Pro Bono & Community Service Katy Drahos said. "This collaboration has strengthened MMLA’s ability to carry out its mission and has expanded access to justice for some of the most isolated individuals in our community."
Fredrikson's collaboration with MMLA focused on two interrelated efforts: detainee intake calls and the Detainee Pro Se Packet Project.
Through the intake initiative, Fredrikson employees worked with MMLA to develop training materials and build a team of more than 30 Fredrikson attorneys who could navigate communication in detention centers and gather critical information. The volunteers conducting these intake calls reduced delays, eased staffing pressure on legal aid attorneys and helped ensure that detainees were not lost in the system because no one could reach them in time.
In the Detainee Pro Se Packet Project, Fredrikson legal assistants and paralegals assisted with preparing and mailing legal information packets created by MMLA. This essential work ensured that people in detention received timely, reliable materials that helped them understand their options and next steps, allowing MMLA attorneys to focus on direct legal advocacy.
Fredrikson and all the Community Impact Award honorees will be recognized at a November 17 event.
Fredrikson & Byron is a leading Midwest law firm working collaboratively to help businesses achieve their goals regionally, nationally and globally. With a reputation as the firm “where law and business meet,” our attorneys bring business acumen and entrepreneurial thinking to work with clients and operate as business advisors and strategic partners as well as legal counselors. The firm’s 425 attorneys serve clients from offices in Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Mexico and China. Learn more at fredlaw.com or LinkedIn.