Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 6221 20 Unmistaken Identity When someone experiences an unthinkable crime and seeks legal services to pursue justice, receiving proper advocacy, support, and immediate action is incredibly crucial. Network for Victim Recovery of DC (NVRDC) provides such services in Washington, DC, empowering victims of all crimes through advocacy, case management, and pro bono legal services. Since opening its doors in 2012, NVRDC has served more than 2,000 victims of all types of crime— from aggravated assaults and homicides to identity thefts, sexual and gender-based violence, and elder abuse. The organization has quickly established itself as an innovative leader, going beyond legal and case management and providing holistic, therapeutic services to support healing and restored dignity. In late 2014, NVRDC was located in close proximity to a nonprofit crisis center providing counseling and support services for sexual violence victims. With a change in leadership, the crisis center changed its logo to one that appeared very similar to NVRDC’s design. Concerns grew quickly at NVRDC that the two organizations would be confused not only by donors, but by clients in their time of crisis. The handling of the trademark infringement matter had to be approached in a sensitive manner in order to keep relationships intact and avoid litigation. To protect NVRDC’s brand, attorney Susan Neuberger Weller stepped in to negotiate and quietly resolve the situation for the benefit of both organizations. “As a trademark lawyer, it is my job to protect an entity’s brand and its identity for a multitude of reasons. These protective efforts will help to ensure not only that victims of crime know where to go to get the help and support they need, but also that NVRDC gets the support it needs to carry out its laudable mission,” Susan said. Mintz Levin also helped NVRDC pursue its mission by working with the organization to obtain charitable solicitation licenses in Maryland, Virginia, and DC. Attorney Carrie Roll gathered documentation, submitted applications, and successfully registered the organiza- tion so it can solicit contributions. Bridgette Stumpf, NVRDC’s co-executive director, said she can’t overstate how invaluable Carrie’s work was to helping the organization understand the jurisdictions in which it would need to file. “Helping us comply with regulations saves us time and prevents us from taking focus away from our clients, which is so important to our mission,” Bridgette said. Carrie was pleased to assist such a passionate group. “I love feeling that I’ve done a small part to enable NVRDC to continue to provide victims with support.” “Mintz Levin’s legal assistance has a huge impact on our ability to serve our clients.” Bridgette Stumpf Co-executive Director Network for Victim Recovery of DC