By Staff
Tell us your title and responsibilities.
I am the Corporate Social Responsibility and Pro Bono Administrator. I am responsible for administering and expanding our CSR and Pro Bono programs in our domestic offices.
How have you healed from the trauma of false accusation?
I don’t think I’ve ever been asked this question, and I honestly don’t know the answer. When I came home, I didn’t have time for a pity party. My mom was sick and had to have surgery; I was at her house; I had jump back in the saddle and get a job right away. I immersed myself in working hard. That’s how I coped initially.
How were you able to fight back?
I had no choice. I was given 35 years in prison. I could not and did not accept it. I was given a projected released date in 2008 and a mandatory release date in 2026. This was in 1992. I had to fight for my life.
Why haven’t you written a book or produced a film to tell your story?
When I first came home, I tried to start writing a book, but it was too painful, reliving so many memories that were still very fresh.
What keeps you motivated?
My passion and motivation is for helping others, specifically those who are less fortunate and those in need of justice. I know how it feels to lose everything, have nothing, and need help. That situation can be hopeless, and I truly love helping others get out of those situations and go on to do great things.
What does success look like for you?
Success ultimately translates into the impact I’m able to have on individuals and in the community. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been blessed. I love what I do, and I’m in a position to give back to the community and provide legal services to those in need. There is nothing better for me.
About
Ken Berry is the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Pro Bono Administrator in Winston and Strawn’s Chicago office. Prior to his current role, Mr. Berry was a Senior Litigation Paralegal for over 18 years.
Ken is responsible for enhancing and furthering the firm’s CSR strategy globally and in all Winston & Strawn domestic offices, by researching and developing relationships with non-profit organizations. He seeks to establish partnerships that support the Winston and Strawn CEASE Initiative, along with program pillars of Access to Justice, Education, Communities and Culture, and Sustainability.
Mr. Berry is actively involved in the administration of the firm’s pro bono program. He conducts the initial review, assessment, and investigation into requests for pro bono assistance from members of the community, including inmates and those charged with criminal offenses.
Ken is also responsible for performing a broad range of case management and resource development duties in support of the firm’s world-wide pro bono practice. He works closely with the firm’s pro bono department to manage the national pro bono program. He specifically assists with the implementation and expansion of the Winston & Strawn CEASE Initiative. Ken works with partners, associates, paralegals, and staff in facilitating the effective administration of the pro bono program.
Mr. Berry was acquitted in 2000 after spending over eight years in prison due to a wrongful conviction. During that time, he taught GED classes, continued his own education, studied the law, and assisted other inmates in legal matters. With the pro bono assistance of Winston & Strawn, Mr. Berry’s conviction was reversed, and he was granted a new trial by the United States District Court in 1999, on the grounds that his trial attorney had provided constitutionally deficient representation. He subsequently proved his innocence at a re-trial before the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois.
Since his exoneration, Mr. Berry has participated in numerous public interest and pro bono matters. He has also been involved in non-profit activities that address prison issues and civil rights violations. In one such matter, he helped a Cook County Jail inmate obtain an award of $175,000 in compensatory damages and nearly $1 million in punitive damages, after guards failed to protect the inmate from violence by other inmates. Mr. Berry was also instrumental in helping secure the release of another wrongfully convicted prisoner in 2006.
Social Media
https://www.facebook.com/ken.berry.397/
https://www.instagram.com/wkb817?igsh=MXVqaWIyNGhpZnF0bA==
