Boston, MA — In recognition of distinguished service and outstanding commitment in providing volunteer legal services for poor and disadvantaged citizens in Massachusetts, the Supreme Judicial Court’s Standing Committee on Pro Bono Legal Services has selected three recipients to receive the prestigious John Adams and John Quincy Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards.

            Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Margaret H. Marshall and Justice Francis X. Spina will present the awards to Attorney John A. Burdick, Jr., a sole practitioner in Worcester; Attorney Anna E. Dodson, an associate at Goodwin Procter LLP in Boston; and the Bankruptcy Law Section of the Boston Bar Association.

             The presentation will take place on Thursday, May 6, 2004 at 4:30 p.m. at Boston College Law School in Room 120 in the East Wing building. A reception will follow at the Barat House on the law school campus.

              Chief Justice Marshall said,  “It is a pleasure to honor these outstanding attorneys who volunteer their legal services to help people in need.  By assisting some of the Commonwealth’s most vulnerable residents, they have immeasurably enhanced the quality of fair and balanced justice for us all.  I commend all of the nominees who serve as an inspiration to the entire bar through their efforts to promote access to justice.”

            John A Burdick, Jr., a sole practitioner in Worcester, has provided countless hours of pro bono legal services to indigent clients, particularly in consumer bankruptcy cases, through the Volunteer Lawyer Service of Massachusetts.  Commended for his advocacy skills, dedication, professionalism and compassion, Mr. Burdick also helps to train and mentor new recruits to the Volunteer Legal Services organization.  He is often cited by clients, attorneys, and judges as a lawyer who provides exceptional care and skill to all his pro bono legal work.  A resident of Paxton, Mr. Burdick received a J.D. degree from Ohio Northern University College of Law and a B.A. degree from Keene State College in New Hampshire.

            Anna E. Dodson, an associate at Goodwin Procter LLP, has a busy corporate practice, a young family, and yet manages to dedicate many hours of pro bono service to clients who need legal assistance through the Economic Justice Project (EJP), an initiative of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.  Ms. Dodson was among EJP’s first volunteer attorneys and is considered one of its finest in providing business legal services and education to low income entrepreneurs.  She has successfully recruited more than 75 lawyers within her law firm to participate in EJP pro bono legal activities over the last three years.  An energetic leader, she also is credited with innovative leadership ideas for EJP and their implementation to benefit low income clients.  In February, Ms. Dodson developed and organized a program, “Open for Business: A Workshop on Representing Inner City Entrepreneurs,” which was co-sponsored by Goodwin Procter and the Pro Bono Subsection of the Boston Bar Association Business Law Section. A resident of  Dorchester, Ms. Dodson has a J.D. degree from Duke University School of Law, a M.A.L.D. from Tuft University Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, and a B.A. degree from Wellesley College.

            The Bankruptcy Law Section of the Boston Bar Association has made substantial contributions to the administration of justice by obtaining volunteer lawyers and coordinating pro bono services to assist hundreds of clients who were unable to afford legal representation in bankruptcy cases.  Working with the Volunteer Lawyers Project (VLP) of the Boston Bar Association, the Bankruptcy Law Section has helped to increase the pool of lawyer volunteers by asking banks to grant conflict of interest waivers for pro bono bankruptcy cases involving $25,000 or less that are handled by VLP.  With its outstanding commitment to provide effective representation to individuals facing bankruptcy, the Section has also convened numerous free educational sessions to bar members in an effort to equip them with the training and advocacy skills necessary to handle consumer bankruptcy cases.

            Established in 1999, the Supreme Judicial Court’s Standing Committee on Pro Bono Legal Services works to promote volunteer legal work in Massachusetts to help people of limited means in need of legal representation, in accordance with SJC Rule 6.1.  Attorney Mary Ryan of Nutter, McClennen & Fish LLP is the chairperson of the Committee.