Larkin Hoffman is committed to serving the communities in which we work. One of the most rewarding services we provide our community is legal services to those of limited means. We encourage all legal personnel to provide pro bono services and consider these services to be part of our practice.
Larkin Hoffman was one of the first 14 firms to sign on to the voluntary Minnesota State Bar Association Pro Bono Standard. As a leader in our profession, we commit to providing 2% of the firm’s billable hours to assisting individuals and organizations dedicated to addressing the needs of persons with limited means.
The firm’s attorneys are active members of chambers of commerce and city councils, and serve on the boards of local universities, hospitals and museums. Our employees have consistently participated in organizations such as The Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, the National MS Society, Bridging and the American Cancer Society. We do well by doing good, as this spirit of dedication and teamwork makes for a positive work environment and plays a vital role in successfully fulfilling the needs of thousands of clients. We are very proud of the community organizations we serve.
Recent Community Service Involvement
Featured Community Partner: The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a multi-faceted non-profit that provides services to those in need. The organization offers housing and homeless services, adult rehabilitation, disaster relief, elderly services and youth programs across the country.
Shareholder Pat Plunkett has been a member of the Twin Cities Advisory Board of The Salvation Army since 1996. He serves on the Twin Cities Executive Committee and chairs the Army’s Property Committee for the Twin Cities.
In 2012 Larkin Hoffman partnered with The Salvation Army for the annual Red Kettle Bell Ringing Kick-Off. Over 50 Larkin Hoffman volunteers participated in the opening day at 11 different stations in the Mall of America. The Larkin Hoffman kettles, along with a firm donation, contributed over $8,000 to The Salvation Army's opening day.
Inaugural Laugh Out Loud Twin Cities in Support of Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare
Larkin Hoffman co-sponsored Gillette Children's Hospital's inaugural fundraising event, Laugh Out Loud Twin Cities. The event featured comedian Martin Short and raised over $280,000 for research and education. Our firm is proud to continue our support of Gillette and will maintain this sponsorship over the coming years.Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare was the nation’s first hospital for children with disabilities. Today, the hospital is an internationally recognized center of excellence in pediatric orthopedics, pediatric neurology, pediatric neurosurgery, pediatric physical medicine and rehabilitation, and related medical subspecialties, devoted to the care of people with serious, chronic physical disabilities caused by childhood onset illnesses, conditions and injuries. Larkin shareholder John Diehl served as a member of the Gillette Board of Directors for 20 years, including a tour of duty as chairman.
Larkin Hoffman celebrates Gillette’s creativity and compassion by supporting many of the events sponsored by Gillette, Friends of Gillette and Gillette Children’s Hospital Foundation.
Featured Community Partner: Bridging, Inc.
Bridging, Inc. is a Bloomington-based non-profit whose mission is to assist families in transition from poverty and homelessness. Mr. Fran Heitzman founded the organization in the 1980s while working as a janitor at a church. A woman approached, gave him a crib and asked him to give it to someone who could use it. He found a home for the crib and has been working tirelessly ever since to provide household items to those in need. Bridging is now the largest furniture bank in the country, providing items like mattresses, furniture and household items, free of charge, to disadvantaged families and individuals in the Twin Cities.
Bob Hoffman, one of Larkin Hoffman’s founders, joined the Bridging Board of Directors in its early years. An attorney from the firm has been on the board every year since. The firm continues to strengthen this relationship by providing volunteer and financial support to the organization. Each year, the firm organizes several volunteer events to assist Bridging in loading donations at their Bloomington warehouse. Larkin Hoffman is also a sponsor of the annual Subway® Bedrace for Bridging, a fundraising event at which participants race down a snowy hill on mattresses.
Featured Community Partner: National MS Society
The National MS Society dedicates time and resources to help fight the debilitating disease of multiple sclerosis. MS is a nerve disease that generally manifests in young adulthood and there is no known cure. Symptoms range from the barely discernable to those that are seriously debilitating. As the disease progresses, those afflicted become more plagued with fatigue and suffer greater degrees of inability to function. The Society funds cutting-edge research, drives change through advocacy, facilitates professional education, and provides programs and services that help people with MS move their lives forward.
The Society and its chapters raise awareness and funding with annual events built around athletic activities including walking and biking. The C.H. Robinson MS 150 Bike Ride is an annual event in which Larkin Hoffman has actively participated since 2007. The firm was a three-year title sponsor for the event and has sponsored a team of up to 110 riders for the past six years. Dick Knutson, our Chief Operating Officer, dedicates his time as a member of the boards of both the National MS Society and the Upper Midwest Chapter. To date, our efforts have raised over half a million dollars for the Society. Our affiliation is rooted in a deep understanding of how this disease affects the lives of our loved ones, colleagues and friends.