On Thursday, October 19, 2023, the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Massachusetts will hold the Tenth Annual Pro Bono and Public Service Awards Ceremony. The event will be held at 4:00 p.m. in person at the John W. McCormack Post Office and Court House in Boston. At the event, the Court will acknowledge and thank those individual attorneys and law students who have demonstrated a commitment to pro bono legal work and public service from September 1, 2022, through September 1, 2023. The Court will also recognize Attorney David R. Chenelle who was the 2021 District of Massachusetts Pro Bono Award recipient. An invitation to the event will be sent at a later date.

To be acknowledged for pro bono legal work and public service, attorneys must certify that they have met the specific criteria established by the Court’s Pro Bono Legal Services Advisory Committee. Law students who have met the specific criteria may submit a certification, along with the acknowledgement of the attorney supervisor. Participation is entirely voluntary. Certifications should be sent to probono@mab.uscourts.gov by September 29, 2023, for an individual to be recognized at the event. Those individuals who complete a certification will also be listed on the Pro Bono and Public Service Honor Roll on the Court’s website.

The Court also invites individuals to submit a nomination for the District of Massachusetts Pro Bono Award. This award recognizes an individual or entity that has made a substantial commitment to pro bono service worth of public recognition throughout the District. Anyone who wishes to nominate an individual or entity for this year’s award should submit a nomination by September 29, 2023. A description of the award, criteria, and nomination requirements along with the nomination form is available here. After considering the nominations, if a recipient is selected, the Court will honor the recipient at the ceremony.