March 15 is the annual meeting of the Massachusetts Bar Foundation (and the end of my two-year term as president). We are extremely proud this year to be presenting our Great Friend of Justice award to Mary L. Bonauto, the civil rights lawyer whose powerful arguments and long-term legal strategies have led to historic strides in achieving marriage equality for same-sex couples across the United States.

Mary Bonauto

Mary Bonauto

Director of the Civil Rights at Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) since 1990, Mary has worked tirelessly to eradicate discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Mary is best known for two precedent-setting cases. In 2004, she was lead counsel in Goodridge v. Department of Public Health, which made Massachusetts the first state where same-sex couples could legally marry. In 2015, she successfully argued before the U.S. Supreme Court in Obergefell v. Hodges, establishing the freedom to marry for same-sex couples nationwide in one of the most important civil rights cases in modern history.

I am asking you to consider sponsoring this event. Your sponsorship will both honor Mary’s legacy of outstanding legal work and help support civil legal services and access to justice in Massachusetts.

Sponsorship levels range from $500 to $10,000.

Full information is available on the MBF’s website. Or feel free to contact me directly if you have any questions or would like to discuss this further.

As I mentioned, this meeting marks the end of my presidency. Help me make it a success. Please add your support.

Photo of Bob Ambrogi Bob Ambrogi

Bob is a lawyer, veteran legal journalist, and award-winning blogger and podcaster. In 2011, he was named to the inaugural Fastcase 50, honoring “the law’s smartest, most courageous innovators, techies, visionaries and leaders.” Earlier in his career, he was editor-in-chief of several legal publications, including The National Law Journal, and editorial director of ALM’s Litigation Services Division.