About the Awards
In furtherance of SJC Rule 6.1, Voluntary Pro Bono Publico Service, the Supreme Judicial Court Standing Committee on Pro Bono Legal Services annually presents the Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards to honor 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 demonstrate outstanding and exceptional commitment to providing volunteer legal services for those in need. The awards are presented in a ceremony at the John Adams Courthouse.
2025 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards
In a ceremony at the John Adams Courthouse in Boston on October 28, Supreme Judicial Court Associate Justice Elizabeth N. Dewar presented Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards to two lawyers, two law students, and a law firm selected by the Supreme Judicial Court Standing Committee on Pro Bono Legal Services, in recognition of their exceptional dedication to providing volunteer services for persons who cannot afford an attorney.
2025 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards recipients:
- Madeleine Rodriguez, Esq.
- Nigel Tamton, Esq.
- Proskauer Rose
- Omar Hajajra, a 2025 graduate of Suffolk University Law School
- Deepti Sailappan, a 2025 graduate of Boston College Law School
Press Release: Supreme Judicial Court Standing Committee Presents 2025 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards to Lawyers, Law Students, and a Law Firm
2024 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards
In a ceremony at the John Adams Courthouse in Boston on October 30, Supreme Judicial Court Associate Justice Elizabeth N. Dewar presented awards to four attorneys and a law student selected by the Supreme Judicial Court Standing Committee on Pro Bono Legal Services, in recognition of their exceptional dedication to providing volunteer services for persons who cannot afford an attorney.
The committee also celebrated 25 years of pro bono accomplishments since it was established by the Supreme Judicial Court in 1999.
Prior to presenting the Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards, Justice Dewar presented the Ralph D. Gants Award for Extraordinary Leadership in Pro Bono Service, named for the late Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court, posthumously to Mary K. Ryan, Esq.
2024 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards recipients:
- Akosua Agyepong, Esq.
- Jeff Goldman, Esq.
- Lisa Pirozzolo, Esq.
- Miyuki Masuda, a student at New England Law | Boston
Press Release: Supreme Judicial Court Pro Bono Committee Presents Awards to Four Attorneys and a Law Student at 25th Anniversary Celebration
2023 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards
In a ceremony at the John Adams Courthouse in Boston on October 25, Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Kimberly S. Budd presented Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards to three attorneys and a law student selected by the Supreme Judicial Court Standing Committee on Pro Bono Legal Services, in recognition of their exceptional dedication to providing volunteer services for persons who cannot afford an attorney for their essential legal needs.
2023 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards recipients:
- Devin Cohen, Esq.
- Scott G. Ofrias, Esq.
- Doreen M. Rachal, Esq.
- Sara Sam-Njogu, a law student at Western New England University School of Law
Press Release: Supreme Judicial Court Presents 2023 Pro Bono Committee Awards to Three Attorneys and a Law Student
2022 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards
In a ceremony at the John Adams Courthouse in Boston on October 26, Supreme Judicial Court Justice Elspeth Cypher presented awards to two attorneys and two law students selected by the Supreme Judicial Court Standing Committee on Pro Bono Legal Services, in recognition of their exceptional dedication to providing volunteer services for persons who cannot afford an attorney for their essential legal needs.
2022 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards recipients:
- Rebecca MacDowell Lecaroz, Esq.
- Eleanor Newhoff, Esq.
- Chris Creech, Boston University School of Law, Class of 2022
- Raven Francomano, University of Massachusetts (Dartmouth) School of Law, Class of 2022
2021 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards
In a virtual ceremony on October 26, Supreme Judicial Court Justice Elspeth Cypher presented awards to three attorneys selected by the Supreme Judicial Court Standing Committee on Pro Bono Legal Services for their exceptional dedication to providing volunteer legal services for persons who cannot afford an attorney for their essential legal needs.
2021 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards recipients:
- Samuel E. J. Bryar, Esq.
- Michael E. Jusczyk, Esq.
- Bethany N. Serota, Esq.
Press Release: Supreme Judicial Court Standing Committee on Pro Bono Legal Services Pro Bono Awards Ceremony 2021
2020 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards
In a virtual ceremony on October 28, Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Kimberly S. Budd presented awards to four attorneys selected by the Supreme Judicial Court Standing Committee on Pro Bono Legal Services for their exceptional dedication to providing volunteer legal services for persons who cannot afford an attorney for their essential legal needs.
Three attorneys received Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards and a fourth attorney received a special pro bono award named in honor of the late Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Ralph D. Gants.
2020 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards recipients:
- Crispin Birnbaum, Esq.
- James S. Rollins, Esq.
- Christian J. Westra, Esq.
Inaugural Ralph D. Gants Award for Extraordinary Leadership in Pro Bono Service:
- Susan M. Finegan, Esq.
Press Release: Supreme Judicial Court Standing Committee on Pro Bono Legal Services Pro Bono Awards Ceremony 2020
2019 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards
Supreme Judicial Court Justice Kimberly S. Budd distributed the 2019 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards at the John Adams Courthouse to four attorneys and a recent law school graduate on October 24.
2019 award recipients:
- Rhonda L. Bachrach
- Douglas L. Fox and Lawrence E. Cohen
- Robert P. Sherman
- Lauren Victoria Rossman, a 2019 graduate of Boston College Law School
Press Release: Supreme Judicial Court Pro Bono Committee Honors Attorneys and a Recent Law School Graduate with Awards for Pro Bono Work
2018 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards
Supreme Judicial Court Justice Kimberly S. Budd distributed the 2018 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards at the John Adams Courthouse to three attorneys and a recent law school graduate on October 18.
2018 award recipients:
- David G. Fromm, Esq.
- John Taylor Hand, Esq.
- Alec J. Zadek, Esq.
- Amy Elizabeth Volz, a 2018 graduate of Harvard Law School
Press Release: Supreme Judicial Court Pro Bono Committee Honors Attorneys and a Recent Law School Graduate with Awards for Pro Bono Work
2017 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards
Supreme Judicial Court Justice Kimberly S. Budd distributed the 2017 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards at the John Adams Courthouse on October 18.
2017 award recipients:
- Christine Butler, Esq.
- Susan Church, Esq.
- Goodwin
- Claudia Quintero, 2017 graduate, Western New England School of Law
2016 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards
Supreme Judicial Court Justice Geraldine S. Hines distributed the 2016 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards at the John Adams Courthouse on October 26.
2016 award recipients:
- Ann Milner, Esq., Boston
- Roger J. Reid, Esq., Greenfield
- Bancroft "Bats" Wheeler, Esq., Natick
- Alexandra Tucker, 2016 graduate, Boston University School of Law
2015 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards
Supreme Judicial Court Justice Geraldine S. Hines distributed the 2015 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards at the John Adams Courthouse on October 28.
2015 award recipients:
- Elizabeth L. Ennen, Esq.
- John J. Regan, Esq.
- Archer B. Battista, Esq.
- Shannon Johnson, 2015 Graduate, Boston College Law School
2014 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards
Supreme Judicial Court Justice Ralph D. Gants distributed the 2014 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards at the John Adams Courthouse on October 21.
2014 award recipients:
- Honorable Patrick Fox (ret.)
- Valquiria Castiglione Ribeiro, Esq.
- Seth Orkand, Esq.
- Elizabeth McIntyre, 2014 Graduate, Boston University School of Law
2013 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards
Supreme Judicial Court Justice Ralph D. Gants distributed the 2013 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards at the John Adams Courthouse on October 23.
2013 award recipients:
- Carolyn Scott-Howe, Esq.
- Michele Garvin, Esq.
- Victoria Rothbaum, Esq., and the law firm of Verrill Dana LLP
- Benjamin Jones, 2013 Graduate, New England Law | Boston
2012 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards
Supreme Judicial Court Justice Ralph D. Gants distributed the 2012 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards at the John Adams Courthouse on October 24.
2012 award recipients:
- Susan Corcoran
- DLA Piper LLP, Boston
- Steven Dzubak
- Dorothy Varon
Prior Award Recipients (2002-2011)
2011 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards recipients:
- Kerry Elizabeth Doyle
- Donal Eoin Reilly
- Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.
2010 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards recipients:
- The Boston law firm of McDermott Will & Emery LLP with special recognition to partners Melissa Nott Davis and Edward P. Leibensperger
- Attorney Kathleen McGrath of Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, Boston
- Attorney Alfred C. Phillips, a volunteer with MetroWest Legal Services
2009 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards recipients:
- Andrew P. Cornell, Cambridge
- Justin H. Dion, Bacon Wilson, PC, Springfield
- Margaret M. Pinkham, formerly of Brown Rudnick Berlack Israels LLP, Boston
2008 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards recipients:
- John G. Dugan, Millis, Principal in the law firm of Doherty Ciechanowski, Dugan & Cannon, P.C., Franklin and Medfield
- Edward Notis-McConarty, Newton, Partner, Hemenway & Barnes LLP, Boston
- Francis J. (Jay) Lynch III, North Easton, Managing Partner, Lynch & Lynch, Boston and South Easton
- Christine J. Wichers, Cambridge, and Lisa M. Gaulin, South Boston, Choate Hall & Stewart LLP, Boston
2007 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards recipients:
- Leigh-Ann Patterson Durant, Lexington, Associate General Counsel of Clinical Trials and Medical Affairs for EMD Serono, Inc., Rockland, formerly of Nixon Peabody LLP
- Holly Sanborn Dyar, solo practitioner, Plymouth
- The Boston office of the law firm of Dechert LLP
2006 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards recipients:
- Marion E. Broidrick and Lawrence A. Zalis for their work on behalf of the Barnstable Action for New Direction (BAND) Program
- Heisler, Feldman, McCormick & Garrow, P.C., Springfield
- Samual B. Moskowitz, Partner, Davis, Malm & D'Agostine, P.C., Boston
2005 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards recipients:
- Mark Berson, President, Levy, Winer & Berson, P.C., Greenfield
- The Honorable Edward M. Ginsburg, retired, Middlesex Probate and Family Court; Founder, Senior Partners for Justice
- Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C., with special recognition to partners Susan J. Cohen and Grant Sovern for their work on behalf of the Political Asylum/Immigration Representation (PAIR) Project
2004 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards recipients:
- John A. Burdick, Jr., Worcester
- Anna E. Dodson, Associate, Goodwin Proctor LLP, Boston
- Bankruptcy Law Section of the Boston Bar Association
2003 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards recipients:
- Michael G. Paris, Partner, Brown Rudnick Berlack Israels LLP, Boston
- Stanford & Schall, New Bedford
- Women's Bar Foundation
2002 (Inaugural Ceremony) Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards recipients:
- Henry Raphaelson, Raphaelson & Raphaelson, Worcester
- S. Stephen Rosenfeld, Rosenfeld & Rafik, Boston; Founder, Health Law Advocates, Inc., Boston
- Foley, Hoag & Eliot LLP