On March 1, 2013, my good friend and champion
for expanded free legal services for the poor
Bricker Lavik died. He trained and mentored me
at legal aid about providing legal services to
low-income tenants, and then spent almost thirty
years doing the same for private attorneys at
Dorsey and Whitney and the legal community at
large. He constantly nagged me to travel, leading
to trips to and jazz club piano performances in
destinations from Hawaii to Paris.
I have the honor of carrying on Bricker’s
work as the Pro Bono Litigation Counsel
at Dorsey & Whitney.
Read about the pro bono program that Bricker led at
Bricker, thanks for being.
Larry McDonough
Here is more about this amazing guy . . . .
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Pro Bono Institute’s Video Tribute to Bricker Lavik
March 29, 2013
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Remembering Bricker Lavik
Pro Bono Institute
March 7, 2013
We at The PBEye were extremely saddened to learn of the death of our good friend and pro bono champion Bricker Lavik on March 1. For us, Mr. Lavik’s legacy is one of genuine commitment to serving others, particularly those most in need, and recruiting others to serve as well. We send our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues at Dorsey & Whitney LLP*†. Below is a brief notice on Mr. Lavik’s passing courtesy of our friends at Dorsey.
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It is with deep regret that I inform you that our colleague and good friend Bricker Lavik died on Friday, March 1, 2013. Bricker is survived by his beloved wife, Tonja Orr.
Bricker Lavik started his legal career as an attorney at the Legal Aid Society. In that role he represented clients in cases involving consumer credit, garnishments, repossessions, evictions, government benefits and more. He brought three Department of Housing and Urban Development administrative complaints resulting in the creation of 784 new units of low-income housing. He was lead counsel in a class action case raising deceptive trade practices claims, resulting in rent abatement claims procedures for tenants in a 100 unit apartment building.
Bricker joined Dorsey in 1986 and continued his efforts to ensure that low-income clients receive access to legal services by doing Pro Bono work and serving on numerous committees and boards. Because of Bricker’s leadership, Dorsey joined the Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge as a charter signatory in 1993 and successfully achieved that Challenge for 20 consecutive years.
Bricker was the soul and conscience of Pro Bono and as such, received many recognitions including the Hennepin County Bar Association’s Distinguished Service Award in 2006 and Dorsey’s first ever Pro Bono Award for Distinguished Service in 2012. His commitment to serving the public was deep and pervasive. Humble and selfless, Bricker inspired us all never to rest on our laurels.
Bricker’s personal and professional passion for justice were among his most enduring qualities. He remained vibrant and vital through the most extreme health challenges imaginable. He seized every moment not because it could be his last but because he understood moments are to be seized.
Rather than battle these various maladies, he accepted their truth and dealt with them rationally, working as an eager partner with many outstanding medical professionals most notably his primary care team at the Mayo Clinic.
In the wake of this heartbreaking news, I am reminded of what a great inspiration Bricker was to so many people. He was a kind, generous, undaunted and wonderful person. And for this, we are grateful and our world is truly a better place.
It is worth noting that Bricker had a heart transplant in July 2000, shortly after being diagnosed with a rare heart disease. If it wasn’t for the generosity of the donor and the donor’s grieving family, think of all our Pro Bono world would have missed out on. I would guess that literally thousands of additional pro bono clients were reached, and many additional pro bono projects started, and pro bono professionals inspired, because of Bricker’s successful heart transplant. A wonderful tribute to Bricker as we all grieve, may be to make sure we are all organ donors. And of course, he would tell us to get out there and get more done to help those in need of our legal services!
* denotes a Signatory to the Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge®
† denotes a Member of the Law Firm Pro Bono Project
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Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal
Mark Reilly, Managing Editor
Bricker Lavik, who pushed Dorsey & Whitney and other law firms to provide more pro bono work to the poor, died last week at age 62.
The Star Tribune reported the news Wednesday, noting that Lavik had a heart transplant in 2000 and had struggled with health issues for the past decade.
Lavik, who joined the Minneapolis law firm in 1986, won plaudits from nonprofit groups for his work in championing the need for pro bono legal work.
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Rosenblum: In pro bono work, Minnesota is above average, too
Article By: Gail Rosenblum , Star Tribune
Updated: March 12, 2013 - 5:54 AM
Did you hear the one about 350 lawyers who walk into the Grand Hyatt in Washington, D. C.?
Kidding. No joke here. Just a serious opportunity for Minnesotans to brag, if Minnesotans were the kind of folks who bragged.
The 2013 Pro Bono Institute Conference in Washington, beginning Thursday, brings together lawyers from around the country. The biggest contingent, year-in and year-out?
Minnesotans.
Turns out Minnesota lawyers are above average — way — in their passion for and devotion to making certain that even the most indigent among us receive free professional legal advice and services.
Pro bono — Latin shorthand for “public good” — refers to lawyers who offer their services for free or a reduced rate. The practice is common in most large law firms nationwide and in some smaller firms, too. But Minnesota was far ahead of the curve, thanks largely to Bricker Lavik, who died March 1 of multiple health issues. He was 62.
Lavik, who grew up in St. Paul, began his career at Legal Aid and took his passion for protecting the poor to Dorsey & Whitney, where he directed the pro bono division. His work led other firms to develop equally robust pro bono outreach, beginning in the 1980s.
Now, firms including Faegre Baker Daniels; Fredrikson & Byron; Lindquist and Vennum; Briggs and Morgan; Leonard, Street & Deinard; and Maslon devote a minimum of 3 percent of billable hours annually to pro bono work.
“We have a high number of firms in the Twin Cities who have committed to the pro bono challenge of 3 percent,” said Jodie Boderman, Faegre’s pro bono manager since 1995. “Our market is exceptional in that way.”
Others share her pride. Maslon’s website, for example, wants potential clients to know that, among their lawyers, are those who “represent people who cannot afford an attorney through Volunteer Lawyers Network, and represent children through the Children’s Law Center.”
“People think lawyers are only in it for the money,” said Steve Marchese, pro bono development director of the Minnesota State Bar Association. “But most find ways to connect like this.”
The 3 percent standard might not sound like much until Marchese does a little math. Minnesota lawyers devote about 200,000 hours a year to pro bono work, Marchese said. That translates into around $40 million in in-kind services annually.
“It’s consistent with our larger civic value,” he said, noting that he attended the Pro Bono Institute’s conference last year, “where people look to Minnesota to see how we’re doing. There’s a strong legacy.”
Esther Lardent, president of the Pro Bono Institute, agrees. She remembers coming to Minnesota about 15 years ago and being struck, first, by the fact that Dorsey had Lavik in a pro bono special counsel role, which was unusual at the time.
“Very early on, firms in Minnesota were getting together with legal services programs, trying to figure out what could be done in the community. It was day-to-day work dealing with family evictions and health issues, but also with controversial projects that have national and global impact,” Lardent said.
Minnesota firms, she noted, have jumped into death penalty work in Louisiana and the Liberian Truth and Reconciliation Commission. They’ve done exhaustive studies of the U.S. immigration system and collaborated on the I-35 bridge collapse. “It’s incredibly time-consuming and emotional work,” she said.
Boderman of Faegre participates in a monthly gathering of representatives of several major law firms to discuss best practices and push into still-unchartered pro bono waters. New efforts are being directed, for example, at representing returning veterans and low-income tenants in Hennepin County Housing Court. Programs also are in the works to use technology, such as video conferencing, to offer pro bono services to clients in Greater Minnesota.
Lardent wishes that Minnesota lawyers, and all lawyers, (not a group typically winning popularity contests) would brag more about their pro bono work.
“It’s a good thing to publicize that work, without being self-congratulatory,” Lardent said. “We still have so many people who need help and don’t get it. If you don’t have firms talking about it, then other firms assume it isn’t being done. We try to push people to say more about it.”
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Obituary: Bricker Lavik, pro bono leader at Dorsey & Whitney law firm
Article by: ROCHELLE OLSON , Star Tribune
Updated: March 6, 2013 - 8:00 PM
Bricker Lavik, director of the Dorsey & Whitney law firm’s pro bono division and fighter for the poor, has died after more than 10 years of health issues that included a heart transplant in 2000 and two cancers.
Lavik, who was 62, died Friday.
Larry McDonough, managing attorney of the housing unit at Legal Aid, said Wednesday that Lavik helped set the standard for free legal services for the poor by pushing hard on his colleagues at Dorsey to the point that firms are now competitive about how much pro bono work they do.
“That’s not what was going on 30 years ago,” McDonough said, adding that Lavik was well known behind the scenes. “His fingerprints are pretty much on everything to do with legal services for the poor not only in the Twin Cities, but in the state.”
In a notice to Lavik’s colleagues, Dorsey’s managing partner, Ken Cutler, described him as the “soul and conscience” of the firm’s pro bono work.
Lavik, who grew up in St. Paul, joined the Minneapolis law firm in 1986 after starting his career at the Legal Aid Society, where he represented clients on cases involving credit, garnishments, repossessions, evictions and government benefits. He was lead counsel in a class-action deceptive-trade practices case that resulted in rent abatement claims for tenants in a 100-unit apartment building.
He led three administrative complaints against the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development that led to 784 new units of low-income housing. He won the Hennepin County Bar Association’s Distinguished Service Award in 2006.
“He remained vibrant and vital through the most extreme health challenges imaginable,” Cutler wrote.
Lavik’s wife of 30 years, Tonja Orr, said he was equally passionate about pursuits outside the office, including travel, bike riding, sailing, painting and attending puppet shows. “There are a lot of puppet things, and I swear we went to every one,” Orr said. “There was something about them he loved.”
Both McDonough and Orr described Lavik as someone who was interested in others but not a “typical extrovert.” Orr said that “sometimes you felt like you were being deposed … He’d ask a lot of questions, but he did take people as they were.”
Orr, assistant commissioner at the state Housing Finance Agency, met Lavik when the two worked for Legal Aid. She took him sailing on Lake Calhoun one day using her beginner’s skills to “put around,” she said. Her future husband decided he liked sailing, took lessons, bought a boat and started racing, she recalled with a laugh. He did the same with bike riding. “When he decided he was interested in something, he went at it all the way,” Orr said.
The couple traveled extensively from Thailand and Nepal to Greece and Spain and made three extended trips to South America. Orr said Bricker loved the Pantheon in Rome and sitting at a cafe watching the world go by. Most of all he adored Paris, she said, especially the city’s famous cathedral. “In the mornings, he would get up, walk over to Notre Dame and sit outside,” she said.
In 2000, Lavik was training for a long-distance bike ride when he was stricken with a heart virus.
He received a transplant at Mayo Hospitals and Clinics and recovered, but it was only the beginning of a long medical struggle. In the fall of 2000, Lavik beat back kidney cancer. In February 2012, he was diagnosed with an aggressive sarcoma. His leg was amputated to try to staunch the growth, but the cancer spread.
In addition to his wife, Lavik is survived by his brother, Griff Lavik.
Orr said she plans a memorial in coming weeks.
Rochelle Olson • 612-673-1747
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We’ve Lost a Friend: Bricker Lavik
Posted on March 4, 2013 by Seth Leventhal
Dorsey & Whitney, L.L.P. sent out a notice today that Bricker Lavik died on Friday, March 1, 2013. Those of us fortunate enough to have spent time with Bricker will miss him. For those of you who did not have the chance to know Bricker, I can only hope that those of us who knew him will continue to carry him in our hearts and minds — his humor, his humanity, his insights, and his goodness.
An email from George Eck, head of the Dorsey Minneapolis office, about the one and only Bricker, after the break…
Many of you had the opportunity to work side by side with Bricker during your time here at Dorsey. I know you join us in extending your condolences to his wife Tonja. We here at Dorsey will so miss his friendship and passion for justice.
It is with deep regret that I inform you that our colleague and good friend Bricker Lavik died on Friday, March 1, 2013. Bricker is survived by his beloved wife, Tonja Orr.Bricker Lavik started his legal career as an attorney at the Legal Aid Society. In that role he represented clients in cases involving consumer credit, garnishments, repossessions, evictions, government benefits and more. He brought three Department of Housing and Urban Development administrative complaints resulting in the creation of 784 new units of low-income housing. He was lead counsel in a class action case raising deceptive trade practices claims, resulting in rent abatement claims procedures for tenants in a 100 unit apartment building.
Bricker joined Dorsey in 1986 and continued his efforts to ensure that low-income clients receive access to legal services by doing Pro Bono work and serving on numerous committees and boards. Because of Bricker’s leadership, Dorsey joined the Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge as a charter signatory in 1993 and successfully achieved that Challenge for 20 consecutive years.
Bricker was the soul and conscience of Pro Bono and as such, received many recognitions including the Hennepin County Bar Association’s Distinguished Service Award in 2006 and Dorsey’s first ever Pro Bono Award for Distinguished Service in 2012. His commitment to serving the public was deep and pervasive. Humble and selfless, Bricker inspired us all never to rest on our laurels.
Bricker’s personal and professional passion for justice were among his most enduring qualities. He remained vibrant and vital through the most extreme health challenges imaginable. He seized every moment not because it could be his last but because he understood moments are to be seized.
Rather than battle these various maladies, he accepted their truth and dealt with them rationally, working as an eager partner with many outstanding medical professionals most notably his primary care team at the Mayo Clinic.
In the wake of this heartbreaking news, I am reminded of what a great inspiration Bricker was to so many people. He was a kind, generous, undaunted and wonderful person. And for this, we are grateful and our world is truly a better place.
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Bricker Lavik
Lavik, Bricker age 62 died on March 1, 2013. Bricker committed much of his 35 year legal career to promoting and ensuring equal access to justice for all, first at the Legal Aid Society of Minneapolis and later at Dorsey and Whitney where in recent years he was director of the pro bono program. He was the recipient of the professionalism award from the state bar association for his pro bono work. Bricker embraced interests from bicycling and sailing to art, music, theater and performance art, especially puppet shows. He took up painting and drawing in his 40s and progressed from barely recognizable bananas to credible self-portraits, albeit ones with pearls and hoop earrings. His work was exhibited at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. He loved to travel, explore new places and other cultures; he loved Paris most of all, but Rome was rivaling Paris for his affections. He encouraged others, relentlessly, to travel. The last 13 years were a challenging medical journey that he faced with amazing strength, courage, and grace. He is survived by his wife, Tonja Orr; his brother, Griff Lavik (Mary Jo) and his nephews Vance and Michael Orr. A celebration of Bricker's life and all that he loved is planned for the near future.
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2006 Pro Bono Publico Award for Distinguished Service
Pro Bono Honors
Bricker Lavik, Pro Bono Publico Award for Distinguished Service
Hennepin Lawyer
March 24, 2006
The Pro Bono Publico awards, recognizing service to the community, are presented each year at the Bar Benefit. The awardees were introduced at the 2006 Bar Benefit by Honorary Chair Boyd Ratchye, a co-founder of the Volunteer Lawyer’s Network.
Mr. Bricker Lavik
Bricker Lavik has been dedicated to public service throughout his career, and his commitment has been unwavering. Lavik began his career as an attorney at the Legal Aid Society. There he represented clients in cases involving consumer credit, garnishments, repossessions, evictions, government benefits and more. Also, he brought three Department of Housing and Urban Development administrative complaints resulting in the creation of 784 new units of low-income housing. He also served as lead counsel in a class action case raising deceptive trade practices claims. This resulted in rent abatement claims procedures for tenants in a 100 unit apartment building.
In 1986, he joined the law firm of Dorsey & Whitney, since which time he has, by serving on numerous committees and boards, continued his efforts to ensure that low-income clients received access to legal services.
Lavik has been on Volunteer Lawyers Network’s board since 1987, serving as chairperson of the board in 1992-93. He served on the Joint Legal Services Access and Funding Committee in 1996, and was co-chair of the Hennepin County Bar Association Coordinating Committee on Legal Services from 1998-2000. He was co-chair of the Minnesota State Bar Association Legal Services to the Disadvantaged Committee from 1998-2001, and he currently serves on the MSBA Legal Assistance to the Disadvantaged Committee, where he co-chairs the Large Firm Pro Bono Involvement sub-committee. He also co-chaired the HCBA Delivery of Legal Services Committee from 2000-2001.
In addition to his many volunteer duties relating to ensuring that low-income individuals have equal access to justice, Lavik has served as a member of the Governing Council of the Construction Law Section of the MSBA since 2001. From 1989-1991, he was chair of the HCBA Landlord/Tenant Committee.
In 1996, Lavik became the Director of the Pro Bono program at Dorsey & Whitney. As such he administers the program including its compliance with the ABA Pro Bono Challenge. In this capacity, he has started several new clinics as joint cooperatives of the firm and VLN. Most recently he started a new clinic at Sabathani Community Center in partnership with United Health Care and VLN, to draft health care directives and power of attorney documents for low-income senior citizens. He is also on VLN’s panel of real estate and housing attorneys providing pro bono phone advice.
Bricker Lavik has worked tirelessly behind the scenes to promote the delivery of high quality legal services to low-income people in the state of Minnesota. He works to raise awareness of the need for pro bono assistance within the legal community and make equal access to justice a high priority for the state and county bar associations. He is continually strategizing to create new and effective ways to deliver legal services to the economically disadvantaged. He provides strong support and encouragement to volunteer attorneys and legal service organizations in their endeavor to meet this need.
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Pro Bono News and Awards
Dorsey and Whitney
March 2, 2006
MINNEAPOLIS (March 2, 2006) – The Hennepin County Bar Association (HCBA) presented Dorsey & Whitney attorney Bricker Lavik with its 2006 Distinguished Service award at the HCBA annual Bar Benefit March 2. The annual award honors an individual whose career reflects “an overall commitment to pro bono work.”
Lavik, Dorsey senior counsel and director of the firm’s worldwide pro bono program, has received numerous awards for his pro bono activities, including the Minnesota State Bar Association 's President's Award, the Minnesota Legal Services Coalition Pro Bono award, and HCBA’s private sector Pro Bono Publico award.
“One measure of a law firm’s success is its contribution to the well being of communities where it practices,” said Peter S. Hendrixson, Dorsey managing partner. “As Dorsey’s pro bono director, Bricker has devoted enormous effort over the years to help provide the disadvantaged in our communities with legal services. The Distinguished Service award reflects the high esteem in which Bricker is held by his peers and the wider social services community. We’re proud of his contributions as an attorney, and we admire his personal commitment and values.”
Lavik practices primarily in the areas of commercial real estate litigation, including commercial lease enforcement, creditor’s rights, construction, and other general litigation.
A resident of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Lavik is a graduate of the University of Minnesota and Hamline University School of Law. He is a member of the Minnesota State Bar, the Hennepin County Bar Association, and the Hennepin County Bar Association Advisory Commission.
