McLeish Orlando LLP remains in the lead of the Daily Bread Food Bank’s annual law firm challenge.
The personal injury firm, which is participating for the first time, has set its sights high. Its goal is to bring in the most donations for the food bank among the roughly 40 firms that signed up.
The annual event began Nov. 28 and wrapped up on Monday. With five firms left to report as of this morning, participants had so far brought in $195,000, according to Casey Richardson-Scott, an articling student at Blake Cassels & Graydon LLP, the Toronto firm that takes a lead role in the fundraiser. That’s well short of the goal of more than $280,000.
The law firm challenge aims to help the food bank beef up its resources at a time of need. After its fall food drive fell short by $85,000 and more than 60 kilograms of food, the articling students at Blakes called on law firms to beat the $280,000 they brought in last year.
In 2010, McCarthy Tétrault LLP took the top spot with more than $40,000 raised. But McLeish Orlando aimed high this year and had already brought in more than $13,000 as of Dec. 5. It divided staff into three teams and held internal competitions for prizes such as a day off to spur donations. “It’s just the right combination between the spirit of giving to a good cause and the energy of the holidays,” said the firm’s John McLeish.
