The Georgia legal community had raised $413,132 for the state's food banks as of 4 p.m. Tuesday—nearly matching last year's total more than three days before the Legal Food Frenzy closes.

The unprecedented haul illustrates the unprecedented needs of the food banks, which have reported distributing 40% more food than usual as the COVID-19 pandemic has forced more than one million Georgians out of work. Even before the pandemic, food banks estimated 1.5 million people in the state didn't have enough to eat.

Many of the 214 teams in the statewide competition are blowing past their goals to help keep the food banks stocked, and the top-raising firms are taking positions that should make these final days interesting.

The Georgia Tech Office of the General Counsel remains in the overall lead, with $20,045, but five-time winner Habachy Law jumped $7,000, to $19,002, in one day to close the gap with the Yellow Jackets.

Alston & Bird rose to $14,385, while Troutman Sanders placed fourth at $11,646.

Several other big firms are bunched behind, led by King & Spalding, at $11,623, which added $4,000 in one day; Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton's Atlanta office, at $10,687, and Arnall Golden Gregory, at $9,372.50.

The Office of the Attorney General was in eighth place, at $8,922.75, followed by Taylor English Duma, at $8,550.50, and BakerHostetler at $8,530.

Food banks say they can make efficient use of donations, so a $10 donation can equal 40 meals.

To find teams or get more information, go to https://galegalfoodfrenzy.org/.

The event is sponsored by the Office of the Attorney General, the Young Lawyers Division of the State Bar of Georgia and the Georgia Food Bank Association.