Law firms give back through music

Stripping out of their suits, away from courtrooms, plaintiff sand defendants, 11 local law firms comprising 6-to-7 bands will come together to perform a “battle of the bands” to raise money for local charities.

Believing music has the power to change the world, Law Rocks is a nonprofit organization that hosts a series of yearly fundraising concerts starring legal professionals, according to their website.

“It began in London 2009, founder Nick Child, then senior clerk of K eating Chambers, attended a concert with some buddies and the idea sort of just popped into his head,” said Ted Scott, good friend and co-founder of Law Rocks Inc.

“Child’s father had always been very charitable and Child himself was giving,” Scott said.

Child put on the fundraising event thinking it would be a one-time concert, according to Scott. The response was more than he envisioned, andit ultimately grew from that single performance at the 100 Club.

Wanting the legal industry to be recognized as givers, not takers, Child founded Law Rocks, according to lawrocks.org.

Seeing the success in London, Scott was motivated to co-found Law Rocks Inc. in 2012, along with Brandt Mori.

“I have no musical bones in my body,” Scott said, “but I love music and the experience of concerts. This is a way of being connected and giving back to others.

“I think the reason it has grown, unlike other charities that are out there for a single purpose, Law Rocks is really a conduit for the legal community to give back to others,” he said. “We’ve given money to about 150 charities around theworld.”

Each band picks a charity they want to give to, preferably a local organization. Every dollar they raise goes to their charity, Scott said.

No longer surprised, Scott says “the legal community area talented group of people who are really good. They are better than you would think they’d be. There is no shortage of bands in every city.”

Last year their seven shows raised $550,000, according to lawdragon.org.

“One of the most rewarding things is feeling the immediate impact and gratitude expressed,” he said. “Many are often operating on bare-bones budget and that money means somuch to them ... they can quantify what they are able to do with it.”

Law Rocks will be performing at The Loft, 1374 West Peachtree St. NW in Atlanta from 7:30–10:30 p.m. on Oct. 18.

CONTRIBUTED Andrew Stanley (left) and TomBalmer of the Perfections fromTransperfect Legal Solutions performat the 5th Annual LawRocks Sydney at the Oxford Art Factory in Sydney, Australia, June 20.