Ames, a founding partner of San Francisco’s Alliance Counsel firm, was in good spirits Tuesday. Although the trip would take its toll on his fragile body, he was eager to undergo the surgery that could give his children � 3-year-old Joaquin and 5-year-old Isabel � the chance to remember their father.
“I want them to know who I am,” said Ames, as his helpers strapped him into the cabin’s leather seat.
On Wednesday afternoon, John Ames reported that his son had made it safely through the procedure, which had implanted a “diaphragm pacemaker.” David Ames will now be able to send electrical impulses to his diaphragm to combat one of the ultimate effects of ALS: the inability to breathe unassisted.
Ames was set to return Saturday on the other donated jet. Both donors asked that their companies remain anonymous in this article, but their deeds didn’t go unrecognized by those involved.
“I know both of these CEOs very well, personally for 15 years, and they’re not only hard-driving executives, but underneath very compassionate people,” said Sherman, who does corporate work for both companies.
Ironically, the two companies are competitors and have even tangled in litigation. But that didn’t prevent them from working together this time. “We’re competitors, not enemies,” quipped one of the CEOs, standing outside his plane on Tuesday.
Ames, who graduated from Boalt Hall School of Law, was a litigator at Hyde Law Corp. before going in house to work for a couple of technology companies. He went on, with two other lawyers in 2003, to found Alliance Counsel, a small firm that acts as outside general counsel for companies and also does transactional work.
More recently, Ames has focused his efforts on healing, speaking about ALS and raising money to help pay for his treatments. Today, there is still no known cure for the disease, but Ames, his friends and his family aren’t giving up.
“It is a journey that is a son of a bitch � it’s a pain in the tail and at the same time, there are some really important blessings along the way,” said John Ames. “There’s good in people and it shines forth. And you saw that this morning, vividly.”
David Ames had the same thought. “I feel blessed,” he said.
� Zusha Elinson
RED CARPET PRO BONO
When the Elevate film festival premieres Saturday at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood � the film festival claims to be the first ever showcased there � Reed Smith attorneys will be present to celebrate the success of their pro bono efforts.
The firm’s involvement stems from the initiative of partner Miles Cooley. In 2005, Cooley recalls, he was “dragged” to a fledging film festival in a Hollywood yoga studio with his actress wife and some mutual friends.
“I was a little skeptical just because it sounded kind of New Age-y,” recalled Cooley, a Century City litigation partner.
For that event, filmmakers had drawn topics � global themes such as the environment, health and poverty � and they then had 48 hours to create a work with an uplifting angle.
After viewing the guerrilla filmmaking, Cooley was impressed � impressed enough to start talking with its founder, filmmaker Mikki Willis, about doing legal work if the event ever needed it. As the festival quickly grew over the next year, it became apparent it was going to need some heftier legal expertise.
“It dawned on me, now is the time � this is a real endeavor,” Cooley said.
Reed Smith is now doing the festival’s legal work, from drafting artist agreements to licensing intellectual property. Over the past 1 1/2 years that they’ve been involved, Cooley said, he’s devoted about 100 pro bono hours to the project. He estimates that a handful of other attorneys have done the same.
“Now, they’re fully protected legally and on track to get the nonprofit status,” Cooley said. “It’s lent some great credibility to them to have Reed Smith backing them � it’s made artists feel more comfortable.”
If the festival continues to grow, the firm’s pro bono role may change. “I’m not sure if we’ll ever end up charging, but you never know,” Cooley said.
But for now, he said the firm is proud to promote the festival to the broader community.
“It’s using art to shine light on great stories of people doing good,” he said. “Its message, purpose and mission set it apart, and that’s the kind of thing the firm wants to get behind.”
� Kellie Schmitt
