Washington, DC (April 9, 2026): Whitman-Walker Health, one of the nation’s pioneering institutions focused on the intersection of healthcare, research, and policy, will present this year’s Dale Edwin Sanders Award for Pro Bono Excellence to international law firm McDermott Will & Schulte on May 6 at its annual Going the Extra Mile fundraising event to benefit WWH Legal Services program.
This year’s award is especially significant as it coincides with the 40th anniversary of Whitman-Walker Health’s Legal Services Program, marking it as the nation’s longest running medical-legal partnership.
As a national leader in public health, Whitman-Walker celebrates our partnership with McDermott to strengthen the health center and to enable Whitman-Walker to reach more medical and legal clients. McDermott’s work includes strategic advising and program development to create options for healthcare delivery in an increasingly dynamic time, protecting access, and ensuring that the communities we serve can connect to the resources they need most. Together, Whitman-Walker and McDermott make access to justice real and help create a more equitable country.
“McDermott’s firmwide commitment to Whitman-Walker’s medical-legal partnership demonstrates a shared vision to serve those most in need,” said Amy Nelson, Senior Director of Legal Services at Whitman-Walker Health. “Our work protects individuals and families who face discrimination and hostility as they navigate increasingly complex administrative systems. Pro bono legal service – like that of McDermott Will & Schulte – finds solutions for people who have no place else to turn in the face of financial and health threats.”
“Our partnership with Whitman-Walker Health is a treasured commitment to serving our neighbors and communities,” said Steven Schnelle, Partner at McDermott Will & Schulte. “We are deeply moved by Whitman-Walker’s unwavering dedication to inclusion, respect, and equitable access to healthcare and social services. It is truly our honor to stand with them.”
This award for Pro Bono Excellence honors the legacy of the late Dale Edwin Sanders whose pro bono legal work for Whitman-Walker Health clients shaped HIV/AIDS law for more than four decades by securing key victories on behalf of individuals whose employment and patient rights were violated. This 40th anniversary celebration marks the third time this award has recognized excellence in pro bono partnerships.
Whitman-Walker Health Legal Services arose during the AIDS crisis in response to a federal backdrop of ignorance and hate. In 1986, we began offering free legal help to protect our patients’ individual rights as thousands died and our community responded. Over the decades, we evolved to meet community needs with truth and decency, expanding to advocate for transgender people and immigrants. We have celebrated medical breakthroughs and secured legal wins. Our history gives us the hope, determination, and humility to continue to face today’s challenges. Whitman-Walker Health fought tirelessly for AIDS patients, and now, as we mark our 40th anniversary, our medical-legal partnership continues to rise to the fight – stronger than ever.
About Whitman-Walker Health
Whitman-Walker Health envisions a society where all people are seen for who they are, treated with dignity and respect, and afforded equal opportunity to health and wellbeing. For over fifty years, we have provided comprehensive and inclusive primary medical care, behavioral health care, dental care, family support services, and a range of health-related legal and support services to more than 23,000 individuals and families annually in the greater Washington, DC region. In 1986, we began offering free legal help to protect our patients’ individual rights at the height of the AIDS crisis. Now, in 2026, we mark the 40th anniversary of Whitman-Walker Health Legal Services – the nation’s first medical-legal partnership. At Whitman-Walker Health, our motto “We See You” symbolizes that we see patients, but we see the person first. More info can be found at: www.whitman-walker.org.
Media Contact:
Lisa Amore, Sr. Director of Communications, Whitman-Walker
Mobile: 206-954-8006; EMail Here
