Two Brown Rudnick Lawyers to Receive 2024 Access to Justice Awards From the Massachusetts Bar Association

Brown Rudnick lawyers Elizabeth Ritvo and Luis Vargas Rivera have been selected to receive Massachusetts Bar Association's (MBA) 2024 Access to Justice Awards, which recognize attorneys who use their exemplary legal skills to serve the community.

Announced on April 25, the awards will be presented during a celebration on June 6 at the Sheraton Framingham.

Ritvo will receive the Pro Bono Publico Award, which recognizes instrumental contributions to developing, implementing and supporting pro bono programs and the performance of significant or meaningful pro bono work. Vargas Rivera will receive a Rising Star Award, which is given to a lawyer who has been practicing for seven years or less and has made a significant and meaningful contribution to access to justice to an underserved population in the state.

Throughout her nearly 40 years at Brown Rudnick, Ritvo has dedicated her time and talents mentoring the next generation of lawyers, both associates and partners, and helping them find their power as an attorney. As Brown Rudnick's first woman partner, she remains a strong advocate for inclusion at the Firm. As an accomplished First Amendment lawyer, Ritvo is also committed to providing legal services to those in need, handling dozens of pro bono cases while working at the Firm.

Vargas Rivera was a leading member of the Brown Rudnick team that worked with the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute in successfully challenging the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families' practice of issuing "substantiated concern" findings after allegations of abuse or neglect without affording parents the ability to challenge such findings in a fair hearing. The Suffolk Superior Court ruling in May 2023 reaffirmed the importance of adhering to due process principles but also sent a clear message about the necessity of transparency and accountability in governmental interventions. The victory also set a precedent that extends beyond the immediate case, impacting thousands of families across Massachusetts.