FBT Gibbons LLP received the 2026 Champion of Justice Award from Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ) at the organization’s Uniting for Justice Gala on October 6. The award recognized the firm’s leadership in advancing access to justice through pro bono service.
The recognition came as VLJ marked its 25th anniversary. FBT Gibbons’ relationship with the organization dates to its founding: in 2000, attorneys from the firm’s predecessor, Gibbons, Del Deo, Dolan, Griffinger & Vecchione, joined colleagues from McCarter & English and the Essex County Bar Association to help address unmet legal needs in Essex County. That collaboration helped lay the groundwork for VLJ.
Since 2001, more than 170 FBT Gibbons attorneys have volunteered with VLJ, handling more than 1,100 legal matters and contributing more than 7,200 hours of service, valued at more than $2.6 million. Their work has supported New Jersey residents facing a range of civil legal issues, including matters involving veterans, children’s access to educational services, criminal record relief and housing.
In 2014, FBT Gibbons worked with PSEG and McCarter & English to help launch VLJ’s Military Legal Assistance Program, now known as the Veterans Legal Program. The program assists veterans with civil legal matters such as child support modifications, criminal record expungements, driver’s license restoration, estate planning, and eviction defense. The firm also supports VLJ’s annual EmPOWERing Pro Bono Day, which brings together in-house legal teams, law firms and civil legal aid partners.
The Champion of Justice Award adds to a history of collaboration between the firm and VLJ. In 2024, VLJ nominated then-Gibbons P.C. and its Veterans Legal Program partners for the Pro Bono Institute’s CPBO Pro Bono Partner Award, which the group received.
FBT Gibbons is committed to serving as a powerful advocate for its clients and a difference maker in the communities where its people live and work. The firm supports attorneys in pursuing pro bono matters that make meaningful use of their professional skills and help address community needs.
About FBT Gibbons
FBT Gibbons LLP is a national law firm focused on serving companies operating and investing in the middle market. With nearly 800 lawyers across 26 offices, the firm is positioned to support clients ranging from large multinationals to mid-sized businesses and growth-oriented startups across the United States. FBT Gibbons provides legal counsel enriched with valuable business and market context, particularly in corporate, litigation, and regulatory matters within the energy, finance, life sciences, and manufacturing sectors. The firm is committed to delivering excellent service to its clients, colleagues, and the communities in which it operates. To learn more, visit FBTGibbons.com.