On October 28, 2025, at the John Adams Courthouse in Boston, the Supreme Judicial Court Standing Committee on Pro Bono Legal Services recognized Proskauer with the Adams Pro Bono Publico Award. The firm, in partnership with Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS), received this honor for its longstanding efforts assisting families with disabled children seeking Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits.
The SSI program provides critical financial support for low-income households with children who have a qualifying disability, but the stringent standards are hard to meet, and the application process is notoriously difficult to navigate. Thus far, Proskauer has lodged over 2,000 hours to GBLS’s Disability Project, providing legal assistance to 12 families. In presenting the award, Supreme Judicial Court Associate Justice Elizabeth N. Dewar shared remarks from a Proskauer client: “When I was a child, the Proskauer attorneys made a huge difference for me and my family. Even though I didn’t fully understand everything that was happening at the time, I remember feeling safe, supported, and respected. . . .They made sure my mother got all the support and made sure my voice was heard, even as a young person. Going through the process again as an adult was a very different experience but just as meaningful. This time, I understood every step of the process, and I was able to speak directly with the Proskauer team about my condition, my daily struggles, and my goals. They never made me feel like I was just another case. They treated me with dignity. . . and made sure I felt confident.”
The award ceremony coincided with a compelling client victory. Earlier this month, Proskauer associates Elliot Stevens, Saika Suzuki, Andrew Higgins, and Sarah Carlson, and senior counsel Jim Anderson secured much needed benefits for an 8-year-old boy with a rare heart condition. The client’s monthly benefits had been improperly terminated, and the family, who were recently living in a shelter, relied on those crucial benefits for financial stability.
