As New Orleans battles COVID-19, many of the city's prominent law firms are looking outside courtrooms and conference rooms for ways to help. Their new program, L.I.G.H.T (Lawyers’ Initiative Giving Hospitals Thanks), has raised more than $100,000 to feed frontline healthcare workers and support New Orleans's renowned food and music industries.

"It began as a weekly brainstorming call among law firm leaders about how to protect employees, stabilize firms and ensure that legal services would continue unhindered. But when New Orleans became a hotspot, the consensus quickly pivoted from protecting our own people to helping the community as a whole, " said Phelps Dunbar's Marshall Redmon, a founding member of L.I.G.H.T.

The group turned to Krewe of Red Beans’ and its Feed the Frontline NOLA project to turn money into meals. Donations allow the nonprofit, to serve thousands of meals to health care workers in area hospitals. More than two dozen restaurants now count on daily orders to keep their doors open, while out-of-work musicians serve as delivery drivers. “The L.I.G.H.T. initiative is keeping our effort alive as our city enters the most crucial phase of our battle against COVID-19. All the hospital heroes will be fed like the champions they are, and our whole community is united in supporting them as they fight to save us,” said Devin De Wulf, founder of the Krewe of Red Beans.

L.I.G.H.T. , which now numbers 30 law firms, hopes to expand its support for essential frontline healthcare workers. Thanks to all who have participated to date, including:

To join the project, please contact Ann Theriot at Ann.Theriot@phelps.com.