Am Law Firms Contribute to China's Earthquake Relief

"David Patrick Eich, a partner at Kirkland's Hong Kong office, was also initially prodded by associates, many of them Chinese, to offer help. 'After the pictures of the earthquake came out, half a dozen associates from New York e-mailed me and [partner] Chaun Li, asking, "What are we going to do about this?" ' As it happens, Li is a native of Sichuan province, where the earthquake struck, and is now leading the firm's donation effort. Eich says the firm will likely end up donating $300,000 to the relief effort, including $100,000 from the firm's foundation and the remainder from individuals and matching funds. That amount, adds Eich, is what the firm gave to Katrina relief and the tsunami that hit Southeast Asia a few years ago.

But China is more than an abstract tragedy, Eich adds: 'It touches people on a personal level...this is a chance to show the Chinese that we care.'"

This article appeared in its entirety in the May 29, 2008 edition of AmLaw Daily.