North of Boston Media/CNHI reporter Christian Wade
North of Boston Media/CNHI reporter Christian Wade will receive the Excellence in Legal Journalism Award at the May 2 Excellence in the Law event, presented by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly. The award, which is sponsored by the Massachusetts Bar Association, is bestowed annually on a reporter whose coverage of the legal system in Massachusetts best reflects the commitment to truth and justice shared by both the bar and the press.
Wade has more than two decades of experience as a journalist covering state, national and international news for daily newspapers, websites and wire services. He is currently Massachusetts State House Bureau Chief for North of Boston Media/CNHI, covering Gov. Charlie Baker and the state Legislature for a regional newspaper group that includes the Eagle Tribune, Salem News, Newburyport Daily News and Gloucester Daily Times.
Previously, Wade has worked as a reporter for The Boston Globe, Newsday, United Press International and other prestigious publications. A graduate of Boston University, where he earned a master’s degree in journalism and history, he has traveled widely throughout his career, including posts in the West Indies, China, New York and Florida.
While he covers a range of stories affecting readers north of Boston, in recent years Wade has written extensively about criminal justice matters, including Gov. Charlie Baker’s bail reform proposals to strengthen pre-trial detention. He has also looked into the aftermath of landmark court decisions, reporting on what has happened since Massachusetts eliminated mandatory life sentences without parole for juveniles and the number of sex offenders who have been released since the Supreme Judicial Court’s 2009 Johnstone ruling. In addition, Wade has covered the developments leading up to, and following, the passage of the 2018 expungement law, which allows certain juvenile convictions and marijuana-possession convictions to be cleared from a person’s criminal record.
“Whether tracking legislative proposals or delving into the consequences of recent judicial decisions, Christian Wade excels at delivering an unbiased and clear picture of how the laws of the commonwealth impact our courts and those who rely on them, especially those in the North Shore communities he writes for,” said MBA Chief Legal Counsel and Chief Operating Officer Martin W. Healy. “The MBA is proud to recognize Christian for his outstanding work and commitment to excellence.”
Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly’s Excellence in the Law event will be held on May 2, from 5:30 to 8 p.m., at the Marriott Long Wharf Hotel in Boston. The event celebrates excellence throughout the legal community. In addition to honoring Up & Coming Lawyers, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly awards individuals in the following categories: Excellence in Firm Administration/Operations, Marketing, Paralegal Work, Legal Journalism, and Pro Bono. Click here for tickets.