Prosecutor Award: Ellen
Berger
Hampden County District Attorney's Office
Ellen Berger has been a dedicated prosecutor in the Hampden
County District Attorney's Office for 25 years. She currently
serves as the chief of the Grand Jury Intake Unit, a division of
the office that has contact with every law enforcement agency in
the county.
Described as an unsung hero, Berger plays an important, but
often behind-the-scenes role in all Superior Court prosecutions.
She screens cases for possible indictment, evaluates evidence,
contacts law enforcement agencies to obtain additional information,
works with assistant district attorneys to prepare and present
cases before the grand jury and coordinates the administration of
the unsolved homicide cases in Hampden County. A key facet of her
work is presenting cases to the grand jury, which includes
instructing the grand jurors on the law by defining the elements of
crimes and legal concepts.
This position is a meaningful and important role for Berger, who
previously served as an assistant district attorney in the District
Court and in the Appellate Division of the office.
"As a prosecutor, your job is to seek the truth and by doing so,
you are protecting and serving the citizens of the commonwealth,"
said Berger.
In addition to being a valued and trusted colleague, she has
also been praised for her mentoring of younger attorneys as they
advance and transition from District to Superior Court. Berger
strongly believes that mentoring others is a way of paying it
forward and ensuring the fairness and integrity of the criminal
justice system.
"Justice requires well-trained prosecutors. I was mentored by
experienced prosecutors and I try to help less experienced
attorneys to grow into this important job," added Berger.
A native of New Paltz, New York, Berger is a graduate of
Springfield College and Western New England University School of
Law, and was a law clerk to the Justices of the District Court
prior to joining the District Attorney's office.
Pro Bono Publico Award:
Charles R. Casartello, Jr.
Pellegrini, Seeley, Ryan & Blakesley PC
A native of Springfield, Charles Casartello Jr. is a partner at
Pellegrini, Seeley, Ryan & Blakesley PC, where he concentrates
in personal injury, workers' compensation and Social Security
law.
Known for his passion and dedication to pro bono
efforts, his proudest moment as a volunteer lawyer was representing
victims of the World Trade Center attacks in New York City.
Recruited by Massachusetts Bar Association Past President Leo V.
Boyle, Casartello worked on four pro bono cases, and
represented first responders and families who suffered the loss of
a loved one in the 9/11 tragedy.
"I was proud to do it. I felt humbled to do it and I hope I
brought some solace to those folks and their families," said
Casartello. "Going there and meeting families and victims was
really an emotional experience, but also a very fulfilling
experience."
Casartello is chair of the Hampden County Bar Association's
(HCBA) Pro Bono Committee and Hampden County Legal Clinic, which
helps provide "Lawyers for the Day" who volunteer to represent
pro se clients in the Housing Court, Probate and Family
Court, and District Court.
"We're trying very hard to increase the number of lawyers who
dedicate time and talent to pro bono service, because
there's an ever-growing need coming to the courts," added
Casartello.
A past recipient of the MBA's Community Service Award,
Casartello helped facilitate a "Day of Service" program in Hampden
County in which volunteer lawyers are made available to the public
to answer common questions in areas, such as employment law,
landlord/tenant matters and benefits eligibility. Casartello is a
past recipient of the HCBA's John M. Greaney Award for his
outstanding citizenship to the law community in Hampden County.
In 2000, Casartello received the Harriet Louise Hardy Award for
outstanding service to workers in issues of health and safety. In
2003, he was also named a Silent Hero by Griffin's Friends
Children's Cancer Fund. Casartello is also the 2015 recipient of
the Legal Aid Champion Award by Community Legal Aid.
Casartello attended the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and is a
graduate of Springfield College and Western New England University
School of Law.
Legal Services Award:
Valerie Fisk
Community Legal Services and Counseling
Center
Valerie Fisk, a supervising immigration attorney at Community
Legal Services and Counseling Center (CLSACC) in Cambridge, has
represented hundreds of clients in immigration proceedings
throughout the past 25 years.
During her career she has achieved a near 100 percent success
rate in obtaining legal status for her clients, none of whom have
ever been deported under her legal guidance. Fisk is deeply
committed to providing high quality legal services to immigrants
and refugees and acknowledges the importance of the daily work she
conducts on behalf of her clients.
"A client once told me I had the best job because the work that
we do allows people to start their lives over," said Fisk.
Known as an immigration and domestic violence expert in
Massachusetts, Fisk was one of the first attorneys in the state to
focus on providing representation in Violence Against Women Act and
U-visa cases. She has also been one of the pioneers in successfully
representing Special Immigrant Juvenile cases. Fisk has conducted
numerous immigration law trainings throughout the commonwealth, and
frequently participates in trainings facilitated by the
Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition.
Through training and mentoring, Fisk has helped expand the pool
of pro bono attorneys and has taught the nuances of
immigration law to a new generation of legal services attorneys.
Given the constantly changing landscape of immigration law, having
well-trained attorneys is vital to helping clients avoid unpleasant
outcomes.
"There are big consequences for people if you don't do things
the right way. People can be deported from the United States, and
families can be broken up," noted Fisk.
Prior to joining CLSACC, Fisk was a staff attorney at Centro
Presente in Cambridge, and program director of community services
at Centro Las Americas in Worcester. Fisk is a graduate of North
Park College and Western New England University School of Law.
An accomplished musician, athlete, coach, beekeeper and
rosarian, Fisk is a person of many talents who not only balances
work with her numerous activities, but also brings joy and
creativity to her colleagues and clients.
Pro Bono Publico Award:
Ingrid Martin
Collora LLP
Described by her colleagues and clients as tenacious,
intelligent and a committed advocate for justice, Ingrid Martin is
an experienced criminal defense attorney and civil litigator.
A partner at Collora LLP in Boston with a primary focus on the
health care industry, Martin volunteered in 2009 to represent
Joseph Donovan on a pro bono basis before the
Massachusetts Parole Board. Donovan was 17 years old in 1993, when
he was tried as an adult and convicted of first degree felony
murder. Many, including Martin, felt that his sentence of life
without parole was out of proportion, given his age and culpability
in a fight that abruptly and unexpectedly turned fatal in the fall
of 1992.
Martin has worked relentlessly on Donovan's behalf for the past
seven years, fighting for justice at every step of the process.
After a 2013 Supreme Judicial Court decision (Diatchenko v.
District Attorney) granted parole eligibility to juveniles
convicted of life without parole, Martin succeeded in obtaining a
parole hearing for Donovan, who became the first juvenile life
without parole inmate to appear before the Parole Board after the
landmark ruling. In 2014, Martin's staunch advocacy ultimately
convinced the board to release Donovan after he had spent more than
20 years in prison.
"For the criminal justice system to work properly, somebody
needs to stand up and test the government's evidence," said
Martin.
Donovan is now enrolled in a step-down program, with the goal of
soon reintegrating back into society as a free person. That will be
a day Martin has looked forward to for quite some time.
"There's no question it's going to be the proudest professional
moment in my career," acknowledged Martin. "Life without parole was
not the right outcome for Joe Donovan. It took people working on a
lot of different pieces, but in the end he is going to get out and
have a life, and that is so satisfying because that's the right
outcome."
Martin is also quick to mention that her selection for this
award recognizes many in the legal community who have also
advocated for juvenile parole reform.
"I'm the lucky designee for a large group of people who've been
working hard on the issues around juvenile life sentences without
parole," said Martin.
Born in Switzerland, Martin is a graduate of Harvard Law School
and Yale University.
Defender Award: Benjamin H.
Keehn
Committee for Public Counsel Services
As a public defender at the Committee for Public Counsel
Services (CPCS), Benjamin H. Keehn has never had a boring day since
he began working there in 1987. He has dedicated his career to
defending indigent, marginalized, and underserved clients, and has
advanced the cause of access to justice as an inspirational public
servant for close to three decades.
Keehn has worked on more than five dozen reported cases,
sometimes as the lead, but often behind the scenes as a member of a
collaborative defense team. Reflecting on his career, Keehn
acknowledges that the nature of being a public defender is
challenging and even disheartening at times. But constantly
striving for justice is the goal that has kept him in the public
defender role for so many years.
"If you're doing this type of work in order to be a 'success,'
or if 'winning' is your measure of success, it's going to be an
exercise in futility," said Keehn. "The actual engagement with the
client, the law, the court -- the attempt to accomplish something
meaningful - is where I get my reward."
Among his most gratifying projects has been aiding clients who
were convicted of murder as juveniles and received mandatory life
sentences without the opportunity for parole. As a result of
Keehn's work in this area, juveniles convicted of life without
parole were granted parole eligibility and the right to a fair
hearing in the Supreme Judicial Court's two decisions in
Diatchenko v. District Attorney of the Suffolk District, I and
II.
"You don't often get the opportunity to literally walk a client
who has been behind bars for all of his adult life to his home,"
remarked Keehn.
Described by his colleagues as an outstanding litigator with
contagious enthusiasm, Keehn has served as a thoughtful mentor to
many young lawyers at CPCS. Whether working with one of his clients
or a coworker, he has always displayed a willingness to go above
and beyond.
Keehn is a graduate of Columbia University and Northeastern
University School of Law.
Rising Star Award:
Margaretta Homsey Kroeger
MetroWest Legal Services
In her own words, Margaretta Kroeger advocates for "people in
crisis who are trying to access basic life necessities." As a
government benefits attorney at MetroWest Legal Services, Kroeger
assists clients who have been denied or improperly terminated from
disability benefits, as well as those who have been denied other
government benefits, such as food stamps, cash assistance,
unemployment benefits, health insurance and emergency shelter.
Kroeger, a 2010 graduate of Boston College Law School, is
passionate about her work with low-income clients, many of whom
face physical and mental disabilities.
"To help prevent somebody from becoming homeless or help them
access basic benefits is incredibly rewarding," said Kroeger. "It's
really hard to imagine doing any other kind of work when you see
the power that you have to transform people's lives on a day to day
basis."
While in law school, Kroeger interned in the health and
disability unit at Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS), where she
represented clients with disabilities in Supplemental Security
Income (SSI) appeals. After graduation she received a prestigious
Skadden Fellowship to develop the Transitioning Foster Youth SSI
Assistance Project at GBLS, which enabled her to represent youths
with disabilities who were aging out of the state foster care
system and needed assistance accessing SSI benefits.
In 2014, Kroeger volunteered to serve as co-counsel with the
Massachusetts Law Reform Institute in a lawsuit filed against the
Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance. The suit
challenged a new automated procedure for those applying for or
receiving food stamps, which resulted in thousands of people being
improperly denied or terminated from receiving food stamp
benefits.
"I do a lot of individual case work, so it's been great to have
the opportunity to advocate for systemic change on a statewide
basis as well," said Kroeger.
A native of Delaware, Kroeger received her undergraduate degree
from Harvard University in 2004.
Lifetime Achievement Award:
T. Richard McIntosh
(1948-2015)
South Coastal Counties Legal Services Inc.
Thomas Richard (Rick) McIntosh spent his entire 42-year career
working tirelessly to improve the lives of thousands of low-income
families in southeastern Massachusetts. As a civil legal aid
attorney at South Coastal Counties Legal Services Inc. (SCCLS),
formerly known as Legal Services for Cape Cod and the Islands
(LSCCI), McIntosh was a trusted colleague and a mentor to many
attorneys and paralegals.
McIntosh was dedicated to fighting poverty and advocating for
disadvantaged clients. His unparalleled commitment to ensuring that
low-income families had access to quality legal representation made
him a recognized leader in the Massachusetts legal aid
community.
"He found something that he believed in and tried to find a way
to do the type of work he wanted to do, which was to protect the
less fortunate," said close friend Thomas Kosman, a staff attorney
and former colleague at SCCLS.
An expert in unemployment law, McIntosh litigated many cases
before the Supreme Judicial Court and the Appeals Court. He also
had a keen understanding of laws pertaining to government benefits,
particularly veterans' benefits, in addition to housing, elder and
juvenile matters.
"Dad was the sort of person who believed that hard work was its
own reward," said his son, Andrew McIntosh. "He would have been
humbled, delighted and probably surprised to receive this award,
even though he clearly deserves it."
Nominated by the Barnstable County Bar Association, McIntosh
received the Massachusetts Bar Association's Legal Services Award
in 1993 for his significant contributions in the area of civil
legal aid.
McIntosh was a resident of Falmouth for more than 40 years and
was a dedicated member of the community. He served on the board of
directors of the Community Action Committee of the Cape and the
Islands, was a member of the Head Start Policy Council for Cape Cod
Child Development and served on the Policy Advisory Board for the
Department of Transitional Assistance. McIntosh was also acting
director of LSCCI twice during his career, once in the late 1970s
and again in the mid-1990s.
He was a graduate of Columbia University and earned his law
degree from Boston University.
Pro Bono Law Firm: Nutter
McClennen & Fish LLP, Boston
Founded by social justice pioneer and (later) U.S. Supreme Court
Justice Louis D. Brandeis, Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP has
enjoyed a strong commitment to pro bono representation for
135 years. The firm provides extensive pro bono services
on a broad range of issues, and encourages all of its lawyers at
every level to get involved with various projects and important
causes.
"We've inherited our pro bono philosophy and our
attachment to pro bono from the seeds that were planted by
Louis Brandeis," said Kenneth R. Berman, a partner at the firm and
chair of its pro bono committee. "We realize that, as
attorneys, we have a responsibility to help people who can't afford
to hire lawyers. It makes us understand that we can make really
impactful changes in the lives of our pro bono
clients."
The firm has been highly involved with the Kids In Need of
Defense (KIND) program, an initiative started by the actress
Angelina Jolie in collaboration with Microsoft, which provides free
legal representation to immigrant teenage children facing
deportation. Many of these children arrive at the United States
border trying to connect with a family member when they are
confronted by immigration authorities. Nutter provides attorneys
who represent and counsel these teens on a pro bono basis
as they apply for special immigrant juvenile status. The program
has recently been expanded to have Nutter work in collaboration
with the legal department at EMC to service even more clients.
A founding member and challenge participant in the Pro Bono
Institute's Law Firm Pro Bono Project, Nutter participates in
numerous pro bono programs, including the Division of
Unemployment Assistance Project, the Political Asylum/Immigration
Project, Housing Court Lawyer for the Day/Eviction Defense Project,
the Women's Bar Foundation Family Law Project for Battered Women,
the Medical-Legal Partnership (Boston), the New England Innocence
Project and the Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program, among many
others.
In many pro bono cases the firm handles, the real world
impact for clients is often immeasurable.
"In the lives of the pro bono clients whose cases we
handle, it's the individual equivalent of a bet-the-company case,"
added Berman. "For a pro bono client, the consequences are
existential. To be able to win the future for a pro bono
client is enormously gratifying."