The Massachusetts Bar Association is excited to announce that State Sen. Jamie Eldridge (D-Marlborough) will give the keynote address at the MBA's Access to Justice Awards Celebration on Thursday, June 6, from 5:30-8 p.m., at the Sheraton Framingham.
Eldridge has served as state senator for the Middlesex and Worcester District since January 2009, representing 12 communities in MetroWest. He serves as the Senate chair of the Joint Committee on the Judiciary and the Senate vice chair of the Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. As an activist legislator, Eldridge proudly serves as the Senate chair of the Criminal Justice Reform Caucus, the Medicare for All Caucus and the Clean Energy Caucus.
Eldridge has focused his energies on Beacon Hill on increasing investments in public education and transportation, combating climate change, making health care a right, stimulating the economy, advocating for affordable housing, reforming our criminal justice system, advancing campaign and ethics reform, protecting the environment, supporting immigrants, making government more transparent and updating our election and campaign finance laws. He grew up in Acton and now lives in Marlborough.
Previously, Eldridge served as the state representative for the 37th Middlesex District for seven years. He is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and Boston College Law School. Prior to his election as state representative, Eldridge worked as a public interest attorney with Merrimack Valley Legal Services in Lowell, a nonprofit organization that provides free legal services to the poor and the elderly. As a public interest lawyer, he also worked to help low-income residents with issues of housing, Social Security, disability and unemployment.
The event will include the presentation of the following Access to Justice Awards:
Rising Star Award
Paul Kominers, Anderson & Kreiger LLP, Boston
Luis Vargas Rivera, Brown Rudnick LLP, Boston
Pro Bono Publico Award
Elizabeth Ritvo, Brown Rudnick LLP, Boston
Legal Services Award
Christina (Tina) Paradiso, Community Legal Services, Worcester
Audrey Richardson, Greater Boston Legal Services, Boston
Defender Award
Carlos Brito, Committee for Public Counsel Services, Public Defender Division, Fall River
Prosecutor Award
Donald Xenos, Worcester County District Attorney’s Office, Worcester
Race, Equity and Inclusion Award
Iris Coloma-Gaines, Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, Boston
Lifetime Achievement Award
Julia Landau, Massachusetts Advocates for Children, Boston
Gerry Singsen (posthumous)
Register
Space is limited. Register by 5 p.m. on Thursday, May 30, to participate.
Questions? Email MBA Communications and Digital Marketing Manager Nicole Dowd at NDowd@massbar.org.