Hartford Partner Thomas Blatchley was recently recognized by the Conservation Law Foundation ("CLF") Legal Food Hub at its May 20, 2021 Annual Attorney Appreciation event, for his pro bono services to several farm and food-related clients.
Blatchley was instrumental in the firm’s partnering with the CLF and its Legal Food Hub in late 2020. Gordon & Rees was an early firm to partner with CLF’s Legal Food Hub in Connecticut, and then Massachusetts. The CLF Legal Food Hub’s mission is to work towards a more just and sustainable local food system by connecting low-income farms, food entrepreneurs, and community organizations with pro bono legal services.
Blatchley has his roots in farming, having grown up on a dairy farm for which he attributes his desire to help the farming community. Immediately after partnering with the CLF Legal Food Hub, Blatchley accepted three sensitive matters relating to employment separation, discrimination and regulatory and corporate governance. Since then, he has taken on an additional pro bono matter for a non-profit that seeks to improve the health and wellness of underserved and low-income populations.
Mary Lovell Egan, CLF Regional Legal Food Hub Coordinator, stated, “Tom Blatchley joined the network in December 2020 and, in what is probably a Hub record, took on three cases within two weeks, two of which required urgent assistance. His employment expertise is invaluable to small farmers whose situations vary so greatly from typical businesses. One of the Hub participants he assisted said: ‘Tom was immediately on board with me. He explained everything to me and was incredibly kind. I sincerely needed to feel supported during this time and Tom did that. I feel so lucky to have been connected with him.’ Thank you, Tom for the huge impact you have already had through the Hub.”
To learn more about the Conservation Law Foundation, please click here.