Evonik Degussa’s Lee Braem Receives Distinguished Service Award   

Recognition From Pro Bono Partnership Cites Nonprofit Volunteer Work    

PARSIPPANY, N.J., April 14, 2008 ─ Lee Braem, Evonik Degussa Corporation’s senior corporate counsel and deputy compliance officer, has received the First Decade Distinguished Service Award from the Pro Bono Partnership at a ceremony recognizing the organization’s top volunteers for the past 10 years.  

The Partnership ─ an organization that encourages corporate attorneys to volunteer on behalf of local nonprofit organizations ─ noted that Braem has been one of the group’s most active volunteers. “Lee’s work with the Partnership exemplifies the spirit of pro bono,” said Nancy Eberhardt, Director, New Jersey program of the Pro Bono Partnership. “Lee is generous, professional and patient in providing pro bono legal services to our nonprofit clients.  He is a proactive volunteer who regularly contacts the Partnership without prompting. We are grateful for his prompt feedback and thoroughness.”  

Utilizing his expertise in environmental and real estate law and regulatory compliance, he has provided counsel to more than 20 organizations, including the Hoboken Clergy Coalition Shelter, Family and Children’s Agency and AIDS Resource Foundation, which provide emergency shelter, affordable housing and healthcare services.  

“It is fitting that Lee’s volunteer work be recognized,” said Dr. Anke Frankenberger, Head of Legal & Insurance Services North America at Evonik Degussa Corporation.  “Without Lee’s efforts with the non profit organizations, many voices that should be heard might not be.  He is an inspiration to us all.”  

Among his pro bono accomplishments, Braem advised the Hoboken North Hudson YMCA on environmental regulations that threatened to prevent a much needed renovation of a 96-room residence for low-income individuals, which was approved.  

Braem said volunteering to help nonprofit organizations in New Jersey helps him give back to the community. “I volunteer for nonprofits because I realize the financial bind they are in and they undoubtedly couldn't afford to pay for a lawyer's time,” said Braem.  “Being able to provide that free service to help further their social and community goals adds a tremendous amount of satisfaction to my job and profession. Working with these organizations gives me an appreciation for the complexity and variety of life.”  

Braem, who received the Volunteer of the Year Award in 2002 from the Visiting Health Services of Union County in 2002, received his law degree from Chicago’s DePaul University and his Bachelors in environmental engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.   

Prior to joining Evonik Degussa Corporation, Braem worked at Tyco International, Quest Diagnostics, Schering-Plough and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Washington.

The Pro Bono Partnership, whose New Jersey office is in Parsippany, is a tax-exempt public charity that provides free business legal services to eligible nonprofit community-based organizations in New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut.

Company information
Evonik Industries is the creative industrial group from Germany which operates in three business areas: Chemicals, Energy and Real Estate. Evonik is a global leader in specialty chemicals, an expert in power generation from hard coal and renewable energies, and one of the largest private residential real estate companies in Germany. Our strengths are creativity, specialization, continuous self-renewal, and reliability. Evonik is active in over 100 countries around the world. In its fiscal year 2007 about 43,000 employees generated sales of about €14.4 billion and an operating profit (EBIT) of more than €1.3 billion (preliminary figures).

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