Steve Holley, with Sullivan & Cromwell.

Describe your firm's philosophy on pro bono service.

Pro bono work is a core value of S&C. We represent clients in high-stakes pro bono litigation that impacts their livelihood and liberty, but we also leverage our storied corporate expertise for creative efforts on behalf of unconventional clients.

In addition to matters we handle on our own, we regularly partner with our clients and nonprofit organizations with the aim to strengthen the communities within which we work and live.

Of the big cases your firm recently worked on, one included representing Success Academy Charter School to help it secure independence. Tell us more about that case and how you reached the outcome.

The Success Academy case involved an effort by the New York City Board of Education to dictate virtually every aspect of pre-kindergarten classes provided by charter schools, despite a 2014 state law which clearly provides that all regulation of pre-K classes offered by charter schools is the responsibility of the relevant charter entity. In the case of Success Academy, that charter entity is the State University of New York. We prevailed in the case by keeping the courts focused on the crucial language in the statute and urging them to reject the many broad policy arguments asserted by the New York Attorney General's office and the NYC Corporation Counsel in an effort to escape the statute's plain meaning.

What was the most satisfying aspect of that key case?

The most satisfying aspect of the case was persuading a majority of the New York Court of Appeals to apply the statute based on the words actually used by the legislature, rejecting the tortured interpretation advanced by our adversaries. As a result of that victory, charter schools like Success Academy can compete with local school districts by providing innovative pre-K classes that help small children learn.

Discuss other key pro bono matters recently completed by the firm.

In addition to representing minors separated from parents at the U.S. border, we also partnered with Immigration Equality to secure a district court win for clients Andrew Dvash-Banks and his son Ethan.

After Andrew, an American, and his Israeli husband, Elad, were married in Canada, a surrogate gave birth to Ethan and his twin brother. But, because Ethan was genetically related to Elad, the U.S. consulate did not grant Ethan the same U.S. citizenship status as his twin. The court held that Ethan acquired U.S. citizenship at birth, a victory that will impact binational families globally.

Why does your pro bono work matter to you as a lawyer?

As a lawyer working in a large firm on matters that typically center on disputes about money, I feel it is important to spend time on cases that raise important policy issues that matter to real people's lives. Some of my most-gratifying work has been on pro bono cases where we provide Sullivan & Cromwell's signature excellence to clients who otherwise could not afford that level of legal representation.

Responses submitted by Jessica Klein, head of pro bono practice, and Steve Holley, litigation group partner at Sullivan & Cromwell.