Boston Bar Association President M. Ellen Carpenter has announced the names of eight up-and-coming lawyers who have been selected to participate in a unique leadership development initiative. These BBA "Public Interest Leaders," all of whom are in the early stages of their careers, will participate in a year-long series of private roundtable discussions and workshops with prominent community and business leaders.
The eight lawyers chosen this year are the second cohort to participate in this highly selective BBA program that was created in 2003. Spanning diverse areas of practice, this year's participants work in firms both large and small, the public sector, legal services and as corporate in-house counsel.
The 2004-2005 BBA Public Interest Leaders are:
- Susan L. Abbott, Goodwin Procter LLP, who has been very involved in her firm's pro bono efforts, particularly in the area of nonprofit, charitable organizations, averaging 200 hours of pro bono service per year.
- Katherine J. Fick, Foley Hoag LLP, who has substantial pro bono experience, including work with the Political Asylum/Immigration Project, the Family Advocacy Program at Boston Medical Center, and the Domestic Violence Project.
- Samantha J. Morton, the Family Advocacy Program, Boston Medical Center, who began her legal career in 1999 as a litigation associate at Hale and Dorr LLP. During her tenure there, she worked on a number of pro bono cases.
- Nicolas M. O'Donnell, Sullivan & Worcester LLP, who has participated in a variety of pro bono and volunteer activities at his firm. He has represented domestic violence victims through the Domestic Violence Project where he developed a substantive partnership between his firm and the Domestic Violence Project.
- Timothy R. Shannon, Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP, who has been involved in substantive pro bono efforts through the Hale and Dorr Legal Services Center.
- Susan Stayn, Partners HealthCare System, Inc., whose strongest interests involve health care advocacy and service in the non-profit sector. Prior to law school, she worked for a small nonprofit in New York City, the Medicare Beneficiaries Defense Fund (now Medicare Rights Center).
- Thuy Wagner, an Assistant Attorney General with the Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General. Prior to joining the AG's Office, she was a staff attorney with the Family Advocacy Program.
- Matthew C. Welnicki, Yurko & Salvesen, P.C., who is a panel attorney for Massachusetts Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts.