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The Massachusetts Bar Association will present its Gold Medal Award to Past President Christopher A. Kenney of Kenney & Sams PC at the MBA Annual Gala on Thursday, May 11, at the Westin Boston Seaport District, 425 Summer St., Boston. The Gold Medal Award honors an individual whose commitment to public service and embodiment of MBA values have enhanced the image of the MBA and the legal profession at large. 
 
An active member for nearly 30 years, Kenney co-founded the MBA Leadership Academy in 2016 and has overseen its development into a signature MBA program where young lawyers learn the tools to become leaders in their firms and organizations, at bar associations, and in government. Kenney continued his focus on public service when he assumed the presidency in 2018, leading several initiatives aimed at supporting civics education in Massachusetts and providing pro bono legal assistance to individuals seeking U.S. citizenship.
 
In addition to his roles as president and Leadership Academy co-founder, Kenney is a former chair of the MBA Consumer Advocacy Task Force and Civil Litigation Section Council. He has held many other volunteer positions with the MBA, including on the Membership Committee, Joint Bar Committee, Budget & Finance Committee, and Executive Management Board. 
 
"Chris Kenney has dedicated his professional life to supporting the work of the MBA and encouraging our members to use their legal skills for the betterment of the profession and society," said MBA President Grace V.B. Garcia. "He has spent enormous amounts of time mentoring and has inspired countless attorneys through his shining example of legal service. His work and commitment sets him apart as an exceptional ambassador for our MBA community."

Outside of the MBA, Kenney has served as president of the Federal Bar Association (Massachusetts Chapter), president of the Massachusetts Defense Lawyers Association, co-president of the Boston Inn of Court, and a director of DRI and the International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC). Kenney also served as director of the IADC Trial Academy and is retained on a frequent basis as a mediator to resolve civil disputes.

Kenney is a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross and Boston University Law School, where he was named Paul J. Liacos Scholar. He was recognized as a Massachusetts Lawyer of the Year in 2020 by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, was named “2012 Massachusetts Defense Lawyer of the Year” by the Massachusetts Defense Lawyers Association, and is a Boston Magazine “Top 100 Lawyers in Massachusetts” honoree.
 
The MBA Annual Gala will also include a keynote speech by Juliette Kayyem, faculty chair of the Homeland Security and Security and Global Health projects at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, and the presentation of the Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. Scholarship. In addition to Kenney, the following individuals will receive awards:

MBA Chief Justice Edward F. Hennessey Award: Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Kimberly S. Budd

MBA Public Service Award: Hon. Bonnie H. MacLeod (ret.) of JAMS

MBA Legislator of the Year Award: State Rep. Michael S. Day (D-Stoneham)

Sponsorships

Consider joining our growing list of event sponsors by selecting one of the options below:

Gold Sponsor — $5,000

• 8 tickets
• Full-page vertical advertisement in program (5"W x 8"H)
• Logo/firm name projected at event and featured on MBA website
• Additional prominent recognition at the event

Silver Sponsor — $2,500

• 8 tickets
• Half-page horizontal advertisement in program (5"W x 4"H)
• Logo/firm name projected at event and featured on MBA website

Bronze Sponsor — $1,750

• 8 tickets
• Logo/firm name projected at event

Click here for a sponsorship form. 

Please submits ads/logos to Heather Robertson at HRobertson@MassBar.org by Friday, April 28. Logos and ads should be hi-res (300 dpi) jpg, eps or pdf. 

Thank you to our Signature Sponsor, the Massachusetts Bar Association Insurance Agency, and the following Gold and Silver Sponsors:

Additional program information to be announced.

Registration for this event is due by Friday, May 5, at noon.

Register

Questions regarding this event can be directed to MBA Membership and Marketing Manager Heather Robertson at Hrobertson@massbar.org. To register by phone, please call (617) 338-0530.