Lawyers e-Journal

Thursday, May. 27, 2010

Nominate your colleagues for the 2010 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards

Deadline for nominations is Friday, July 16

In furtherance of SJC Rule 6.1, Voluntary Pro Bono Publico Service, the SJC Standing Committee on Pro Bono Legal Services will present awards to individual lawyers, law firms, government attorneys, corporate law departments and other institutions in the legal profession that have demonstrated outstanding commitment to volunteer legal services for the poor and disadvantaged including CPCS, legal services or similar providers who conduct non-program pro bono work. The awards will be presented in a ceremony at the John Adams Courthouse on Oct. 27, in conjunction with the American Bar Association's recognition of National Pro Bono Month.

Award criteria

Awardees will be selected from those who have excelled in providing volunteer services in one or more of the following ways:

Volunteer participation in an activity or pro bono program which resulted in satisfying previously unmet needs or in extending services to underserved segments of the population;
Successfully litigated pro bono cases that favorably affected the provision of other services to the poor; and/or
Successfully achieved legislation that contributed substantially to legal services to the poor.

Nomination guidelines

Submit a brief narrative explaining how the candidate meets the criteria for the Adams Pro Bono Publico Award. Specify the nature of the pro bono contribution and identify those who have benefited.
Information that would be helpful includes principal areas of practice, the number of years practicing law, hours spent on pro bono activites, other public service contributions, educational background, supporting documents and bar association activites.
Include up to three letters of support, if available, from individuals and organizations aware of the candidate's pro bono contribution.
Nominations submitted in 2009 remain active for consideration in the 2010 awards program.

Selection process

Nominations should be received by Friday, July 16.
Submit all materials to: Richard McMahon, Esq., The 2010 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards, c/o South Coastal Counties Legal Services, Inc., P.O. Box 2507, 22 Bedford St., 2nd Floor, Fall River, MA 02722-2507, or contact Jeanne Marcotte at (774) 488-5942 or at [e-mail jmarcotte], if you have any questions.