Philadelphia will celebrate its own version of "Dancing with the Stars" as Mayor Michael Nutter performs the fox trot with his wife Lisa, City Solicitor Shelley Smith dances the salsa with a professional partner from Society Hill Dance Academy, and Philadelphia Bar Association Chancellor Sayde Ladov performs the tango with her husband, attorney David Ladov. All three couples have been practicing for weeks in preparation for their performance under the hot lights!

These Philadelphia luminaries are "Dancing for Justice" to promote the Philadelphia Bar Foundation at its premier fundraising event, the 31st Annual Andrew Hamilton Benefit to be held at 7 p.m. on November 21^st at Please Touch Museum at Memorial Hall in Fairmount Park. The Andrew Hamilton Benefit supports grants given by the Bar Foundation each December to a network of more than 30 public interest legal organizations that provide civil legal services to Philadelphians struggling with poverty, abuse and discrimination.

"This is such an important cause, especially for lawyers," said Shelley R. Smith, Philadelphia City Solicitor and member of the 2009 Andrew Hamilton Benefit Committee. "If my dancing the salsa can help focus attention on the important work the legal services organizations in Philadelphia do to provide access to justice for the underserved of our city, I'm happy to do it."

Mayor Nutter will also be presenting the Philadelphia Bar Foundation Award to Catherine C. Carr of Community Legal Services.

Contacts:

Philadelphia Bar Association
Lynne Brown, Deputy Executive Director
215-238-6347