GBLS Staff Awards

Congratulations to Eleanor Newhoff who received the MA Bar Association Pro Bono Publico Award, awarded to an individual who has been instrumental in developing, implementing and supporting pro bono programs for the MBA, a local bar association, law firm or agency.

Congratulations to Dan Manning who received the Mass Bar Association Legal Services Award, given to a public or nonprofit agency attorney who contributes to the provision of low-income legal services beyond his or her required job responsibilities.

Congratulations to Barbara Zimbel received the pro bono award May 25th from the Women's Bar Foundation.  Barbara is being honored for her volunteer work with women prisoners at Massachusetts Correctional Institution: Framingham, the state's prison for women.

Nadine Cohen, Consumer Rights Unit Managing Attorney, and Mac McCreight, Housing Law Unit Lead Attorney, were honored for their work by the Committee for Boston Public Housing.  They received the Edna P. Bynoe Legacy Award and citations from the Governor, State Representative Gloria Fox, and Boston City Councilors Chuck Turner, Charles Yancey, and Sam Yoon.

Monica Halas, Employment Law Unit Lead Attorney, was given a Northeastern School of Law Daynard Public Interest Fellowship. The Daynard Public Interest Visiting Fellows Program selects just two public interest practitioners each academic year to “serve as role models for students, demonstrating how legal skills can be used effectively and creatively to make the world a better place”.  Attorney Halas was also named an AM 1510 Revolution Boston hero, for her efforts on behalf of low-income workers illegally denied wages and unemployment compensation (UI) and for advocating for systemic changes to the UI system.

Nancy Kelly, Immigration Law Unit Acting Managing Attorney; Pauline Quirion, Employment Law Unit Lead Attorney; and John Willshire Carrera, Immigration Law Unit Lead Attorney, were selected as Massachusetts 2009 Super Lawyers by Super Lawyers magazine.

Pauline Quirion, Employment Law Unit Lead Attorney, received a Woman of Justice award from Massachusetts Lawyer Weekly in December 2009.  She was also honored at the annual meeting of Middlesex District Attorney Gerald Leone for her work as a mentor, trainer, and supporter of  the D.A.’s 209A Pro Bono panel.

GBLS’ Cambridge and Somerville office (Cambridge and Somerville Legal Services) received the Somerville Human Rights Commission 2010 MLK Jr. Day Award. Staff was honored for promoting economic justice by improving access to safe and affordable housing, food, health care, and income supports. Recently, CASLS initiated a joint outreach project with the Community Action Agency of Somerville to inform tenants and owners in Somerville properties in the process of foreclosure of their right to stay in their homes using the courts and other remedies.

GBLS’ Employment Law Unit received a Collaborative Action for Safety Award for its work on the Temp Worker Right to Know campaign from the Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health (MassCOSH).