Kudos to the Daily Report for the extensive coverage of the annual Legal Food Frenzy drive last year.

While there are many worthwhile charitable causes for which lawyers across Georgia are engaged, this one in particular is a high-profile, professionwide effort sponsored by the Attorney General's Office and the Young Lawyers Division of the State Bar. As such, I found it peculiar that the Big Law firms of Georgia performed so poorly last year when compared with small firms.

Without going into too many specifics, the results from last year yield a conclusion that the leading small firm donated $1,901, or the equivalent of 7,605 pounds of food, per employee. That outperformed the leading Big Law firm, which donated an average of $49 or 196 pounds of food, per lawyer by nearly 39 to 1. The second place small firm ($618.50/2,474 pounds per person) outperformed the second place Big Law firm ($36.00/145 lbs per lawyer) by 12 to 1.

$49 is less than the cost of one dinner out with a significant other. Big Law should do better than that! This little old, semiretired solo, who has transitioned to part-time mediation in my twilight years, will contribute $100. I challenge all the Big Law firms to match that, on average per lawyer.

Let the competition begin!

Steven J. Gold

Atlanta