Mintz will receive a 2025 Beacon of Justice Award from the National Legal Aid & Defender Association (NLADA) for efforts to sustain equal justice for families and communities. This is the sixth consecutive year that Mintz has won this award.

“For more than thirty years Mintz has fought to advocate for and protect vulnerable individuals, families, and communities,” said Susan Finegan, Member and Chair of Mintz’s Pro Bono Committee. “It’s an honor to again be recognized by the NLADA for our commitment to pro bono work and the progress we’ve made. We look forward to continuing to bring our services to those in need in the coming years.”

Examples of Mintz’s work to advance civil and human rights in 2024 include:

• Participation in the Alliance for Children’s Rights’ Adoption Day Clinics in Los Angeles. The Alliance works to provide stability for children in foster care and those at risk of entering foster care by helping them obtain access to mental and medical healthcare, educational services, benefits, housing, and more.
• Partnering with Lawyers Clearinghouse to organize Massachusetts Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) sealing clinics. CORI reports can be used by employers and landlords to deny people employment, housing, and educational opportunities. Mintz helped clients navigate the complexities of sealing criminal records, giving them the opportunity to obtain better housing and jobs.
• Working with survivors of gender violence and the organizations that serve them.  This year, Mintz continued its legislative advocacy efforts assisting with legislative amendments to address revenge pornography.  The firm also worked with human trafficking advocates to lobby for decriminalization and victim compensation reforms.
• Continued leadership of New England and national responses to the sustained humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, including the design of a referral system for congressional staff offices to match with peer firms for case intake as well as providing training and mentorship.
• Supporting the Access to Justice Fellows Program which enables retired and retiring lawyers and judges to partner with organizations to increase equal access to justice for all.  Two Mintz attorneys started the program over 13 years ago, and Mintz provides administrative support for the program.  Over 200 retired lawyers and judges have provided over 200,000 hours of pro bono assistance to individuals, nonprofits, and the courts in a variety of areas.

The Beacon of Justice awardees will be celebrated at the 2025 NLADA Exemplar Awards Gala on September 24, 2025. Additional information about Mintz’s Pro Bono work is available here.

About The National Legal Aid & Defender Association
The National Legal Aid & Defender Association (NLADA), founded in 1911, is America's oldest and largest nonprofit association devoted to excellence in the delivery of legal services to those who cannot afford counsel. NLADA has pioneered access to justice at the national, state, and local levels, playing a leadership role in the creation of public defender systems and other important institutions from The Sentencing Project to the Legal Services Corporation. A leader in the development of national standards for civil legal aid and public defense, NLADA also provides advocacy, training, and technical assistance for equal justice advocates across the country.

About Mintz
Mintz is a litigation powerhouse and business accelerator serving leaders in life sciences, private equity, energy, and technology. The world’s most innovative companies trust Mintz to provide expert advice, protect and monetize their IP, negotiate deals, source financing, and solve complex legal challenges. The firm has 600 attorneys across offices in Boston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Washington, DC, San Francisco, San Diego, and Toronto.