Mintz and Susan M. Finegan, a Member of the Litigation Section and Chair of the Pro Bono Committee, will be honored by Newton-based The Second Step with one of the annual Founder’s Award, given to “exceptional community members who reflect the vision, energy and dedication of the Founders of The Second Step.” A community of survivors, advocates, and volunteers, The Second Step provides comprehensive services to those who have experienced domestic violence, including safety planning, legal advocacy, counseling, peer support, transitional housing, and other essential services.

“Ever since my involvement with The Second Step back in 2014, and particularly since I became more closely involved with our Steps to Justice legal program in 2015, I have heard nothing but praise and gratitude for Sue individually, and for her fellow attorneys at Mintz – whether it has been taking referrals for cases when we had inadequate capacity, helping us to navigate the subpoena process, or being a part of our strategy should we ourselves be called into court,” said The Second Step's executive director, Matthew Swoveland.

He continued, “Their partnership not just with The Second Step, but with the domestic violence field as a whole, is a model for how to leverage resources in an environment of scarcity.”

For almost thirty years, Mintz has made a strategic pro bono and community service commitment to advancing the rights and making a difference in the lives of domestic violence, sexual assault, and trafficking survivors victims in Massachusetts. Attorneys in the firm’s offices have represented survivors of domestic and sexual violence, filed appeals and amicus briefs on their behalf at the state and national levels, successfully promoted legislative reforms, and represented dozens of nonprofits.

Appointed as the firm’s first full-time Pro Bono partner in 2007, Ms. Finegan serves as lead counsel on numerous high-profile pro bono litigation matters and oversees the firm’s 300+ pro bono matters. She is also Co-Chair of the Access to Justice Commission and is a member and former Chair of the Supreme Judicial Court’s Standing Committee on Pro Bono Legal Services. As Co-Chair, she has spearheaded creative funding mechanisms to support legal aid organizations, particularly in the area of serving victims of crime. Her pro bono has focused primarily on representing survivors of domestic and sexual violence, successfully advocating for legislative reforms such as G. L. c. 258E, representing shelters and rape crisis centers, and filing appellate briefs on issues relating to survivors at the national and state levels. 

The award will be given out on April 11th at the Celebrating Success gala.

For more information about Mintz, please visit www.mintz.com.