The Recorder (October 11, 2004)

Donald Tamaki wants people to know that his law firm cares about money. "We work for free, and we only represent Asian-Americans. ... Those are two misconceptions we want to blow up," said the managing partner of Minami Tamaki LLP, an 18-lawyer firm in San Francisco whose nine partners practice employment, immigration, entertainment, criminal, business and family law. Renown for social responsibility has come easier than a reputation for piling up billable hours at the firm. Nearly all its best-known cases are pro bono efforts, from representing Japanese-Americans victimized by World War II internment camps to defending Patrick Hayashi's claims for ownership of a Barry Bonds home run ball. The partners have spent the past three decades developing a firm that, Tamaki emphasizes, is profitable in a wide range of practice areas. It has tripled in size since 1990, expanding its partnership ranks both from within and through hiring accomplished laterals from much larger firms.