With my grandfather, Fred Nicholas.
May 2025 - Every family has stories they pass down—formative moments, proud milestones, defining legacies. One of my family’s stories begins in 1970, in a modest one-room office where my grandfather, Frederick M. Nicholas, launched what would become Public Counsel. At the time, he simply wanted to create a place where lawyers could use their skills to help people in need. Fifty-five years later, that vision has grown into one of the largest pro bono law firms in the nation.
On May 30th, Fred will be celebrating his 105th birthday. I’m writing to you not only as his grandson, but as someone who is deeply committed to continuing what he began. I’m proud to share that I’ve joined Public Counsel’s Leadership Council—a step that feels both deeply personal and full of purpose.
My relationship with Public Counsel began long before I understood the full weight of its work. I was ten years old, standing in a garden newly named for my grandfather, hearing stories of lives changed and injustices challenged. Over the years, as I listened to him talk about the law, not as a career but as a calling, his passion became contagious.
With my sister, grandfather, and cousin at the Frederick M. Nicholas Garden of Hope naming ceremony at Public Counsel in 2010.
