SJC accepting nominations for 2018 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards
The Supreme Judicial Court’s Standing Committee on Pro Bono Legal Services is seeking nominations for the 2018 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards, which recognize those in the legal community who have shown outstanding and exceptional commitment to providing unpaid legal services to those in need. The deadline for nominations is June 29.
Named in honor of attorneys John Adams and John Quincy Adams, the Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards are presented annually to honor those Massachusetts lawyers, law students, small and large law firms, government attorney offices, corporate law departments, law schools, or other institutions in the legal profession that have improved the lives of clients in need by committing an extraordinary amount of their time and energies to provide volunteer legal services.
The committee will select awardees from among those who have excelled in providing volunteer services in one or more of the following ways:
- Participating in an activity or pro bono program that resulted in satisfying previously unmet needs or in extending services to underserved segments of the population
- Successfully litigating pro bono cases that favorably affected the provision of other services to those in need
- Successfully achieving legislation that contributed substantially to legal services for the disadvantaged
Click here to learn more about the award criteria and nomination guidelines. Nominations and all supporting materials should be submitted either by mail to E. Abim Thomas, Esq., The 2018 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards, c/o Vertex Pharmaceuticals, 50 Northern Ave., Boston, MA 02210, or by email to Abim_Thomas@vrtx.com, referencing the 2018 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards in the subject line.
The awards will be presented in a ceremony at the John Adams Courthouse on Oct. 18.
In addition to the awards program, the committee also administers the Pro Bono Honor Roll, a voluntary program that recognizes those law firms, solo practitioners, in-house corporate counsel offices, government attorneys' offices, non-profit organizations, law school faculties, and law students, which certify that, in the relevant time period, they have performed a certain number of hours of pro bono legal work. Certifications are now being accepted for pro bono work performed in calendar year 2017. Click here to learn more about the Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards and the Pro Bono Honor Roll.
Plymouth Trial Courthouse renamed for Therese Murray
The Massachusetts Trial Court last week celebrated the renaming of Plymouth Trial Court as the Therese Murray Trial Court.
Therese Murray served as a state senator representing the Plymouth and Barnstable counties from 1993-2015. She also served as the first woman Senate president from 2007-2015.
Robert S. Creedon Jr., the current clerk of courts for Plymouth County Superior Court, served as the event's master of ceremonies. Speakers included Murray; Plymouth and Barnstable counties Sen. Vinny M. deMacedo, Trial Court Chief Justice Paula M. Carey, retired District Court Judge Rosemary B. Minehan and former Plymouth County Sheriff Peter Y. Flynn.