Lawyers e-Journal
Thursday, Jan. 8, 2009
Deadline to nominate a colleague for an Access to Justice Award extended to Jan. 12
Nominate a fellow attorney for one of the five Access to Justice Awards. The awards will be presented at the MBA’s Access to Justice Awards Luncheon on May 7.
The MBA is seeking nominations for its five Access to Justice Awards, which will be presented at the MBA’s Access to Justice Awards Luncheon on Thursday, May 7, at the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum.
The new deadline for submissions is Monday, Jan. 12.
These awards offer a unique opportunity to recognize the efforts and achievements of our MBA members. Often, the people who shoulder the responsibility of assuring access to the courts and the legal system for both practitioners and members of the public are truly unsung heroes and to ensure that award recipients truly reflect the best of the legal profession, the MBA encourages nominations from its members, from Massachusetts regional and minority bar associations and from local public service organizations.
The Access to Justice Awards are:
Legal Services Award
An attorney employed by a public or nonprofit agency to provide civil legal services to low-income clients, and who has made a particularly significant or meaningful contribution to the provision of low-income legal services, above and beyond the requirements or his or her position.
Pro Bono Award for Law Firms
A law firm of two or more attorneys, with one or more offices in the commonwealth, whose pro bono activities are particularly noteworthy in relation to the firm’s size and which has performed significant or meaningful pro bono activity or which has been particularly instrumental in developing, implementing and/or supporting a pro bono program or pro bono services within Massachusetts.
Pro Bono Publico Award
An individual who has been instrumental in developing, implementing and supporting pro bono programs for the Massachusetts Bar Association or for a local county bar association, or a pro bono program of a law firm, or has developed a pro bono program sponsored or organized through an agency in the commonwealth, or has performed significant or meaningful pro bono activity.
Defender Award
An attorney who is employed or retained by a public or nonprofit agency to provide criminal legal services to low-income clients, and who has made a particularly significant or meaningful contribution to the provision of low-income legal services above and beyond the requirements of his or her position.
Prosecutor Award
A state or federal prosecutor who has distinguished himself or herself in public service and whose commitment to justice and serving the communities where he or she lives or works is particularly praiseworthy.
Nominations for all of the MBA Access to Justice Awards must be submitted in writing no later than Monday. Jan. 12, to: Access to Justice Awards, Massachusetts Bar Association, 20 West St., Boston, MA 02111-1204; [e-mail jstevens] or fax to (617) 338-0550. For more information, contact James T. Van Buren Jr., chair of the Access to Justice Section Council, at [e-mail jtvb] or (978) 345-0321.