SUPREME JUDICIAL COURT STANDING COMMITTEE
ON PRO BONO LEGAL SERVICES INVITES NOMINATIONS
FOR ADAMS PRO BONO PUBLICO AWARDS

Boston, MA — Nominations (five copies) should be submitted to: Richard McMahon, Esq., The 2004 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards, c/o New Center for Legal Advocacy, Inc., 257 Union Street, New Bedford, MA 02740. Mr. McMahon can be reached at (508) 979-7160, ext. 3010, or at: rmcmahon@ncla.net for further information. Nominations submitted in 2003 remain active for consideration in the 2004 Awards’ program.

            Named in honor of Attorneys John Adams and John Quincy Adams, the Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards recognize individual lawyers, law firms, government attorneys, corporate law departments, and other institutions in the legal profession in Massachusetts that have "demonstrated outstanding commitment to volunteer legal services for the poor and disadvantaged, including the Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS), legal services or similar providers who conduct non-program pro bono work."

            The Standing Committee on Pro Bono Legal Services will select awardees from among those who have excelled in one or more of the following ways: (1) demonstrated dedication in development and delivery of legal services to the poor through a pro bono program; (2) contributed significant work toward developing innovative approaches to delivery of voluntary legal services; (3) participated in an activity which resulted in satisfying previously unmet needs or in extending services to underserved segments of the population; (4) successfully litigated pro bono cases that favorably affected the provision of other services to the poor; and (5) successfully achieved legislation that contributed substantially to legal services for the poor.

            Last year, awards were presented to Michael G. Paris, a partner in the Boston law firm of Brown Rudnick Berlack Israels LLP; the New Bedford law firm of Stanford & Shall; and the Women’s Bar Foundation, the charitable and educational affiliate of the Women’s Bar Association.

            Established in August 1999, the Standing Committee on Pro Bono Legal Services works to promote volunteer legal work in Massachusetts to help people of limited means who are in need of legal representation, in accordance with SJC Rule 6.1, Voluntary Pro Bono Publico Service ("for the public good"). Attorney Mary Ryan of Nutter, McClennen & Fish LLP chairs the Committee.