Schulte Roth & Zabel Announces New Special Counsel for Pro Bono Initiatives Sara Solfanelli

Schulte Roth & Zabel (SRZ) is pleased to announce that Sara Solfanelli has re-joined the firm as its new special counsel for pro bono initiatives, resident in the firm's New York office. Ms. Solfanelli most recently served as chief operating officer and general counsel at the Urban Justice Center.

Ms. Solfanelli started her career as the director of international programs at Women's Campaign International, a non-profit dedicated to empowering women in emerging democracies. Ms. Solfanelli clerked at The New Hampshire Supreme Court and practiced law in Boston before she joined SRZ as an associate in 2007. While at SRZ, she counselled clients on a wide range of employment matters and provided extensive pro bono services to a variety of non-profit clients, including Foundation Rwanda, where she remains director and secretary. Ms. Solfanelli also served as a global HR director for media and advertising agencies, as well as SVP, counsel for the Americas, at WPP Group, the world's largest marketing communications network. In 2017, Ms. Solfanelli transitioned to public service full-time and joined the Urban Justice Center as chief operating officer and general counsel, where she helped launch the Social Justice Accelerator which counsels start-up and early stage non-profits.

“We are delighted to welcome Sara back to SRZ. Her breadth and depth of expertise will be great assets as we continue to build on the success of our pro bono program,” said David Efron, SRZ co-managing partner and co-head of the Investment Management Group.

“Sara is a proven leader with a strong commitment to providing quality counsel for clients who could otherwise not afford it, which is and has long been an integral part of our mission at SRZ,” commented Marc Elovitz, SRZ co-managing partner and chair of the Investment Management Regulatory & Compliance Group.

“SRZ has historically been a leader in pro bono legal work, and I am thrilled to take on this role and lead the firm's pro bono efforts moving forward,” said Ms. Solfanelli, who holds a J.D., with honors, from The George Washington University Law School, and a B.A. from The College of William and Mary.