Mintz is pleased to share that two firm attorneys have been shortlisted by Chambers Diversity & Inclusion Awards: North America 2021 for their achievements and efforts to further the advancement of diversity and inclusion across the country and beyond. Specifically, Mintz Member and Chair of the firm’s Pro Bono Committee Susan M. Finegan was shortlisted in the Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year category, which recognizes a partner who is dedicated to pro bono work in the local or global community, and Associate Alain P. Mathieu was shortlisted in the Future Leader – Diversity & Inclusion category, which recognizes an associate leading the way in one or more strand of diversity and inclusion work.

A nationally recognized pro bono pioneer and Chair of Mintz’s Pro Bono Committee, Ms. Finegan serves as lead counsel on numerous high profile pro bono litigation matters. She also manages the firm’s pro bono efforts, consisting of over 300 varied cases annually throughout seven offices, and advises firm clients on developing and sustaining pro bono programs within their in-house legal departments. Over the course of her career, Ms. Finegan has helped to defeat President Trump’s first immigration travel ban in early 2017, engineer the passage of a Massachusetts restraining order law for sexual assault survivors, and successfully argued for a civil right to counsel for indigent parents in certain guardianship matters.

In addition to her role at Mintz, Ms. Finegan served as Co-chair of the Massachusetts Access to Justice Commission (AJC), which focuses on civil justice for low-income and disadvantaged people. She co-founded the Access to Justice Fellows program, in which more than 150 retired and retiring lawyers have devoted over 110,000 pro bono hours at legal services organizations, nonprofits, and the courts. During the pandemic, she chaired the AJC’s COVID-19 Task Force, which was focused on increasing statewide access to justice during the pandemic.  Ms Finegan serves on many other boards and committees, including the Dartmouth College Board of Trustees.

Mr. Mathieu concentrates his practice on complex litigation, including contract disputes, business litigation, and government investigations, as well as institutional class action recovery and product liability. He is an active member of the firm’s Sports & Entertainment Practice, Institutional Class Action Recovery Practice, and interdisciplinary working group focused on the legal and policy implications of emerging artificial intelligence and robotics technologies.

Mr. Mathieu contributes to his community through his board service with Crossroads, a youth empowerment organization focused on unlocking the potential of youth leaders in underserved communities, and The Wily Network, a nonprofit designed to support students who are experiencing life challenges such as homelessness or foster care, as they work their way through college to graduation and beyond. He also serves on Mintz’s Advisory Committee created to address issues related to the recruitment and retention of Black attorneys, and on the Boston Bar Association’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Steering Committee, among other diversity and inclusion-focused leadership roles. Finally, Mr. Mathieu maintains an active pro bono practice, in which he counsels and represents clients in matters related to civil appeals, immigration, and domestic and sexual violence.

The full list of Chambers Diversity & Inclusion Awards: North America 2021 winners and honorees is available here.