Brian Rocca

NCYL Board, Treasurer; Morgan Lewis, Partner

Morgan Lewis Partner Brian Rocca has served on NCYL’s Board of Directors for 9 years, lending his experience as a litigator and deep roots in the legal community to support NCYL’s efforts to protect youth. In addition to Brian’s many contributions to NCYL over the last decade, Brian recently helped NCYL secure its largest law firm donation ever — a generous $75,000 gift from his law firm, Morgan Lewis.

Can you share more about Morgan Lewis’s recent gift to NCYL? 

My colleagues and I were so pleased to make a large contribution to NCYL because we know the funds will have a powerful impact. The gift was possible because our Firm obtained a fees award in a pro bono matter from several years ago that focused specifically on the harmful conditions of confinement in California youth prisons. We know that NCYL works every day to transform the youth justice system so that it better embodies true justice and equity for children. So this gift was a way to further support that important work, whether in the context of the youth who are needlessly imprisoned in our local communities, or immigrant children taken into custody and exposed to really difficult conditions.

What are some of the ways Morgan Lewis has supported NCYL and other organizations like us? 

Attorneys at our firm have provided hundreds of hours of pro bono support to NCYL, including in two recent cases defending the rights of children: 1) M.B. v. Tidball, which works to end the overuse of psychotropic medication in Missouri’s foster care system by establishing new oversight and accountability measures; and 2) Tonisha Smith v. Alameda County, which seeks to address the housing instability that hundreds of youth in extended foster care in California’s Alameda County regularly face.  

I’m incredibly proud that, once again, 100% of Morgan Lewis attorneys provided pro bono support to clients in need and to non-profit organizations working to improve our society. This is a strategic priority for our firm’s Chair, Jami McKeon, and it reflects our collective desire to help provide access to high quality legal services in our communities. 

What is it about NCYL’s work that most inspires you? 

I'm inspired by how NCYL elevates the voices and leadership of youth and engages young people in advocating for justice. I'm also inspired by NCYL's staff, who are incredibly brilliant and passionate attorneys, policy experts, and community leaders aiming to amplify the power of youth, and to help them achieve their dreams.

I hope you'll join me in supporting NCYL! Right now, the Board of Directors and I are matching gifts dollar for dollar until we hit our $50,000 goal. Please give by visiting www.youthlaw.org/donate.