ABA Robert F. Drinan Award to posthumously honor justice champion Richard A. Soden
The American Bar Association Civil Rights and Social Justice Section will posthumously honor Richard A. Soden, the section’s longtime leader, with its 2025 Father Robert F. Drinan Award for Distinguished Service in an online presentation from 5:30-7 p.m. EST on Thursday, Jan. 23.
Having served as the section’s budget officer and a member of the section’s governing council, Soden was committed to the mission of CRSJ and served to ensure it had sustainable funding.
“Richard’s leadership exemplified remarkable moral courage and unwavering dedication to advancing civil rights and social justice reforms while upholding the pillars of democracy,” said Lacy Durham, CRSJ chair. “His advocacy has significantly shaped the legal landscape, embedding principles of fairness and equity within our systems.”
Soden joined Goodwin Procter LLP as an associate in 1971 and was partner from 1979 until 2006, when he became of counsel to the firm. He was one of the first African Americans elected to partnership at a large Boston law firm.
Soden specialized in corporate and securities law. His practice included aspects of corporate finance, corporate governance and regulatory compliance.
A member of the ABA since 1971, Soden was active and committed to CRSJ throughout his legal career. Recently, he served as the section’s budget officer and chair of its Fundraising and Development Council Committee. He also spearheaded the section’s Giving Day campaigns for the last two years and was a longtime member of the fundraising committee for the annual Thurgood Marshall Award dinner.
Soden served as a member of the ABA Board of Governors. He also served on the board of the Center for Racial and Ethnic Diversity, the Presidential Advisory Council on Diversity in the Profession and the selection committee for the Legal Opportunity Scholarships.
In 2009, he received the ABA Spirit of Excellence Award, given in recognition of his three decades of work promoting diversity in the legal profession.
Soden served as president of the Boston Bar Association, Boston Bar Foundation and the Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association and as chair of the ABA Standing Committee on Bar Services and Activities and its Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs. In addition, he served as chair of the Steering Committee of the Boston Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and was a member of the ABA House of Delegates and Board of Governors.
He received his bachelor’s degree from Hamilton College and a J.D. from Boston University School of Law.
Having served as the section’s budget officer and a member of the section’s governing council, Soden was committed to the mission of CRSJ and served to ensure it had sustainable funding.
“Richard’s leadership exemplified remarkable moral courage and unwavering dedication to advancing civil rights and social justice reforms while upholding the pillars of democracy,” said Lacy Durham, CRSJ chair. “His advocacy has significantly shaped the legal landscape, embedding principles of fairness and equity within our systems.”
Soden joined Goodwin Procter LLP as an associate in 1971 and was partner from 1979 until 2006, when he became of counsel to the firm. He was one of the first African Americans elected to partnership at a large Boston law firm.
Soden specialized in corporate and securities law. His practice included aspects of corporate finance, corporate governance and regulatory compliance.
A member of the ABA since 1971, Soden was active and committed to CRSJ throughout his legal career. Recently, he served as the section’s budget officer and chair of its Fundraising and Development Council Committee. He also spearheaded the section’s Giving Day campaigns for the last two years and was a longtime member of the fundraising committee for the annual Thurgood Marshall Award dinner.
Soden served as a member of the ABA Board of Governors. He also served on the board of the Center for Racial and Ethnic Diversity, the Presidential Advisory Council on Diversity in the Profession and the selection committee for the Legal Opportunity Scholarships.
In 2009, he received the ABA Spirit of Excellence Award, given in recognition of his three decades of work promoting diversity in the legal profession.
Soden served as president of the Boston Bar Association, Boston Bar Foundation and the Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association and as chair of the ABA Standing Committee on Bar Services and Activities and its Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs. In addition, he served as chair of the Steering Committee of the Boston Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and was a member of the ABA House of Delegates and Board of Governors.
He received his bachelor’s degree from Hamilton College and a J.D. from Boston University School of Law.
New ABA report examines pro bono service by U.S. lawyers
By American Bar Association
American attorneys continue to demonstrate a robust and enduring dedication to pro bono work, with more than 75% providing pro bono service at some point in their careers, but there still is room for improvement, according to findings from “Supporting Justice V: A Report on the Pro Bono Work of America’s Lawyers”, released today by the American Bar Association Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service.
The report, the fifth in a series of studies on lawyer volunteerism that began in 2004 and the first since 2018, found that just over half of the attorneys surveyed had provided some pro bono legal services in 2022, with a lack of time cited most often as the single most important challenge to volunteerism. Slightly more than half of the attorneys providing pro bono services did so on a limited-scope basis, meaning their efforts were directed at specific tasks or services. Approximately 1 in 5 attorneys has never undertaken pro bono service of any kind.
The survey polled attorneys in 24 states, seeking data in such areas as their interest, time spent and key influencing factors related to pro bono work to determine the culture of volunteerism in the legal profession. The Baylor University College of Law analyzed the data for the survey.
The survey asked lawyers about their pro bono activity during 2022 as well as their most recent pro bono experience, using a definition that tracked pro bono in Rule 6.1 of the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct. The survey then asked about motivations and attitudes as well as public service activity. Rule 6.1 defines pro bono as free legal service to the poor and organizations serving the poor and substantially reduced-fee work for such groups, as well as civil rights, civil liberties, public rights, charitable, religious, civic, community, governmental and educational organizations.
The study, the standing committee’s first post-COVID-19 survey, showed a slight increase in lawyers’ use of technology to serve pro bono clients. Attorneys indicated that virtual platforms such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Skype, as well as court video appearances, are useful in providing pro bono service.
Also, for the first time, the survey asked respondents about their pro bono participation in law school. Nearly 59% indicated that they engaged in some form of volunteer activities during their time at law school; 8.8% attended a law school with a mandatory pro bono component as part of their degree requirements. Most had positive experiences regarding pro bono work during their time in law school.
(https://www.americanbar.org/news/abanews/aba-news-archives/2025/01/aba-report-examines-pro-bono-service/)
American attorneys continue to demonstrate a robust and enduring dedication to pro bono work, with more than 75% providing pro bono service at some point in their careers, but there still is room for improvement, according to findings from “Supporting Justice V: A Report on the Pro Bono Work of America’s Lawyers”, released today by the American Bar Association Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service.
The report, the fifth in a series of studies on lawyer volunteerism that began in 2004 and the first since 2018, found that just over half of the attorneys surveyed had provided some pro bono legal services in 2022, with a lack of time cited most often as the single most important challenge to volunteerism. Slightly more than half of the attorneys providing pro bono services did so on a limited-scope basis, meaning their efforts were directed at specific tasks or services. Approximately 1 in 5 attorneys has never undertaken pro bono service of any kind.
The survey polled attorneys in 24 states, seeking data in such areas as their interest, time spent and key influencing factors related to pro bono work to determine the culture of volunteerism in the legal profession. The Baylor University College of Law analyzed the data for the survey.
The survey asked lawyers about their pro bono activity during 2022 as well as their most recent pro bono experience, using a definition that tracked pro bono in Rule 6.1 of the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct. The survey then asked about motivations and attitudes as well as public service activity. Rule 6.1 defines pro bono as free legal service to the poor and organizations serving the poor and substantially reduced-fee work for such groups, as well as civil rights, civil liberties, public rights, charitable, religious, civic, community, governmental and educational organizations.
The study, the standing committee’s first post-COVID-19 survey, showed a slight increase in lawyers’ use of technology to serve pro bono clients. Attorneys indicated that virtual platforms such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Skype, as well as court video appearances, are useful in providing pro bono service.
Also, for the first time, the survey asked respondents about their pro bono participation in law school. Nearly 59% indicated that they engaged in some form of volunteer activities during their time at law school; 8.8% attended a law school with a mandatory pro bono component as part of their degree requirements. Most had positive experiences regarding pro bono work during their time in law school.
(https://www.americanbar.org/news/abanews/aba-news-archives/2025/01/aba-report-examines-pro-bono-service/)
