Baker Donelson has appointed Dilnaz Saleem to serve as Pro Bono Committee Office Chair for the Firm's Houston office.

As the Houston Pro Bono Committee Office Chair, Ms. Saleem will work to identify and address local pro bono needs while coordinating with Baker Donelson Pro Bono Shareholder Samuel T. Bowman for global pro bono initiatives.

"Meeting the specific needs for pro bono services in each of our local markets is a key element in ensuring Baker Donelson is addressing broader needs across our geographic footprint," said Mr. Bowman. "Dilnaz is among the many talented and committed people we have at Baker Donelson who are enthusiastic about strengthening our communities by providing vital legal services to the underserved. Because of the leadership that Dilnaz and our other office chairs bring, I believe our Pro Bono Committee is second to none, and I look forward to working with them in our ongoing efforts to offer pro bono services to those who need it most."

Ms. Saleem is of counsel in the Firm's Houston office, where she focuses her practice on corporate immigration and employment matters. She works closely with local, national and international clients to provide legal advice and counsel in all areas of global immigration, and also counsels her clients on various federal regulations to ensure compliance with matters including reductions in force, government contractor regulations and employment issues involving mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. She is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and of the Immigration and Nationality Committee of the Houston Bar Association. Ms. Saleem is a graduate of the University of Houston Law Center.

Through its commitment to pro bono representation, Baker Donelson provides legal services to groups and individuals whose resources are limited. For decades, the Firm's attorneys have provided a variety of counsel to many underserved populations that have had no options for legal representation. Baker Donelson's efforts include work on a wide range of matters, such as advocating for the homeless and organizations that serve the homeless, providing corporate legal services to non-profit organizations, collaborating with our clients to address particular community needs, and much more. The Firm has been instrumental in efforts such as expanding the Homeless Experience Legal Protection (HELP) program across the Southeast; creating courts dedicated to handling minor legal matters common among the homeless; assisting persons of limited means with obtaining driver's licenses, an essential need in helping these individuals reintegrate into society; and spearheading and organizing volunteer lawyer programs across Baker Donelson's footprint.

Baker Donelson has led the way in the legal industry by being one of the first law firms in the Southeast to create a Pro Bono Committee and designate a Pro Bono Shareholder. To further its commitment to pro bono, Baker Donelson also designates Pro Bono Committee Office Chairs in most of its 21 offices. These chairs are best suited to address local needs while coordinating with the Firm's Pro Bono Shareholder for global pro bono initiatives. This structure ensures Baker Donelson is well-suited to further its goal of addressing broad spectrum needs across the Firm's footprint and beyond.