Awards & Recognition

On October 28, 2024, at the Lawyers Alliance for New York’s 2024 Cornerstone Awards, which were held at Paramount Global’s offices in New York to recognize “superior pro bono service to nonprofit organizations,” Cravath partner Ron Creamer was honored as a member of the organization’s “25 Year Circle” for his longstanding commitment among its “repeated and continuing volunteers” for pro bono service. Ron received the inaugural Cornerstone Award in 1997.

On October 28, 2024, Cravath was honored by the Lawyers Alliance for New York at its 2024 Cornerstone Awards, which were held at Paramount Global’s offices in New York and recognized “superior pro bono service to nonprofit organizations.” The Firm was named an Institutional Honoree as a result of its “rich history of meaningful pro bono work of the highest quality,” including its near 25‑year partnership with Lawyers Alliance which includes providing pro bono assistance to more than 60 nonprofit clients on more than 66 legal matters, including 19 new cases during the past year. Lawyers Alliance identified by name more than 40 organizations and more than 80 Cravath lawyers who worked to assist them over just the last three years. Lawyers Alliance also noted “the exemplary support of Cravath’s attorneys,” which has led to the “success of pro bono projects, including strategic alliances, lease agreements, privacy policies, and entity formations,” and that Cravath has received “accolades from Lawyers Alliance clients praising their passion and professionalism, which they carry through to each representation.”

On October 21, 2024, the Legal Aid Society honored Cravath partner Sharonmoyee Goswami, practice area attorney Donald Robert Bunton and associates Justin S. Rosinski, Neal P. Vinaixa, Ariella Rochelle Banin and Chibunkem Ezenekwe as 2024 Pro Bono Publico Award recipients. Each year, Legal Aid recognizes the work of lawyers, law firms, corporations and other professionals who volunteer their time and talent to provide exceptional legal services to low‑income New Yorkers. Sharon, Donald, Justin, Neal, Ariella and Chibunkem received the 2024 award for outstanding pro bono assistance to the Employment Law Unit for their work on a case involving discrimination and tenant harassment.

On October 1, 2024, Volunteers of Legal Service (VOLS) named Cravath practice area attorney Brian M. Budnick to its 2024 Pro Bono Dean’s List, which recognizes individuals who have made an impact in helping New Yorkers access justice. Brian was recognized for his work with the VOLS Children’s Project, through which he has spent the past four years advocating for a critically ill and severely disabled child receiving life-saving medical treatment at NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, and his family. Brian has worked with VOLS to address the family’s immigration legal needs and to secure housing for them while their child is in the hospital. In an interview with VOLS, Brian spoke about the importance of pro bono work, noting that “legal analysis and work product can change the trajectory of someone’s life,” and advising junior attorneys that “there’s no better way to make a positive impact than pro bono work.”

On October 7, 2024, Cravath was honored by the Office of the Appellate Defender, the second oldest institutional provider of appellate representation in New York City, at its 31st annual “First Monday in October” gala. The Firm received the 2024 Gideon Award in recognition of its commitment to indigent appellate defense through its longtime participation in OAD's Volunteer Appellate Defender program, including its work with OAD as co‑counsel to help reverse a wrongful criminal conviction resulting from the joinder of two indictments at one trial. Partner Benjamin Gruenstein accepted the award on behalf of the Firm.

In June 2024, the National Legal Aid & Defender Association (“NLADA”), the nation’s oldest and largest nonprofit association devoted to excellence in the delivery of legal services to those who cannot afford counsel, honored Cravath with a 2024 “Beacon of Justice Award” for pro bono work advocating for equality in our justice system, including providing counsel to individuals who have survived domestic and/or sexual violence, representing juvenile offenders with life sentences who were denied parole in violation of their constitutional rights and representing inmates whose Eighth Amendment rights were violated by dangerous prison conditions and actions of prison staff. Partner Antony Ryan noted that “from Cravath’s inception, meaningful and challenging pro bono work has been a cornerstone of our practice. We are proud of what we do to ensure that individuals in the criminal justice system are treated with dignity and respect and have a meaningful opportunity to vindicate their rights. We are honored to be recognized by NLADA for our efforts.”

On July 9, 2024, The American Lawyer featured Cravath and A Better Childhood’s (“ABC”) appellate victory for children in New York City foster care among “15 matters that represent some of the very best of the legal industry’s pro bono efforts in 2023.” Published as part of the outlet’s 2024 Pro Bono Report, the article described Cravath and ABC’s efforts, led by partners Antony L. Ryan and Justin C. Clarke, to secure class certification in an action brought by 19 children seeking to remedy the ongoing violation of their rights under the Due Process Clause as well as various state and federal statutory provisions which cause children in foster care harm to their health, safety and well‑being.

On April 16, 2024, Cravath was honored by the Volunteers of Legal Service (“VOLS”), a nonprofit organization that provides free civil legal services to low‑income New Yorkers with limited resources, at its 2024 New York, Together gala. Cravath partner Antony L. Ryan, who serves as Chairman of VOLS’ Board of Directors, accepted the award on the Firm’s behalf in recognition of its “strong and historical” pro bono partnership.

On March 21, 2024, Cravath was honored “for outstanding advocacy and commitment to justice” by Legal Services NYC, a nonprofit organization that fights poverty and seeks justice for low‑income New Yorkers by providing civil legal services, at its annual Jazz for Justice Benefit in New York. Cravath partner Antony Ryan accepted the award on the Firm’s behalf in recognition of its longstanding pro bono partnership with the organization, and Cravath lawyers were featured in a video highlighting their work on an asylum case. 

On October 30, 2023, The Legal Aid Society honored Cravath partners Antony L. Ryan, Lauren M. Rosenberg and Brittany L. Sukiennik, of counsel Rebecca J. Schindel and associates Chizoba D. Ukairo and Frances C. McDonald as 2023 Pro Bono Publico Award recipients for outstanding service to the organization and their clients. Each year, Legal Aid recognizes the work of volunteer lawyers, law firms, corporations and other professionals who volunteer their time and talent to provide exceptional legal services to low‑income New Yorkers. Antony, Lauren, Brittany, Rebecca, Chizoba and Frances received the 2023 award in recognition of their work for pro bono clients, including Tania Rodas, as part of Cravath’s Incarcerated Survivors Initiative.

On May 10, 2023, Cravath was honored by Jericho Project, a nationally‑acclaimed nonprofit dedicated to ending homelessness and improving the lives of thousands of New Yorkers, at its “Celebrate! 2023: 40 Years of Hope and Homes” gala. The Firm received its 2023 Legacy Award in recognition of its “extraordinary support of Jericho’s mission” throughout the organization’s 40‑year history.

On November 2, 2022, Sanctuary for Families announced Cravath as a recipient of its 2022 Above & Beyond Award for Excellence in Pro Bono Advocacy. Cravath’s Incarcerated Survivors’ Initiative, led by partner David M. Stuart, assists incarcerated survivors of domestic and/or sexual violence, including on matters related to resentencing, parole and civil rights violations, and in partnership with legal and social services organizations. Dave and associate L. Angel Valle were recognized for their work as part of this initiative, assisting a survivor of gender‑based violence secure parole. As Sanctuary for Families noted in a feature article around the award, when the survivor, “Monica,” was “granted parole and released after nearly 25 years of incarceration, ‘Team Monica,’ as she had taken to calling the pair of attorneys, drove up to meet her with supplies and to take her for her first meal outside prison in over two decades.”

On October 27, 2022, Cravath was honored by New York Legal Assistance Group (“NYLAG”) at its 2022 Pro Bono Awards. The Firm received the Hero of Justice Award in recognition of its work with NYLAG over the past year. NYLAG highlighted Cravath’s work with NYLAG on humanitarian parole applications, including for individuals from Afghanistan and Ukraine.

On December 16, 2021, The Legal Aid Society honored Cravath as one of its 2021 Pro Bono Publico Award recipients for outstanding service to the organization and its clients. Each year, Legal Aid recognizes the work of volunteer lawyers, law firms, corporations and other professionals who support or participate in its Pro Bono Program by providing exceptional legal services to vulnerable New Yorkers. Cravath received the 2021 award in recognition of our work for immigrant rights, incarcerated women who have survived domestic and/or sexual violence and low-income New Yorkers in need of transactional legal assistance. A number of attorneys were nominated for individual recognition, including partners Rachel G. Skaistis, David M. Stuart, Omid H. Nasab and Matthew M. Kelly and 12 associates.

In March 2021, Her Justice, a legal services organization that provides free legal help to women living in poverty in New York City, including victims of domestic violence, selected Cravath Pro Bono Manager Aviania Iliadis as one of its 2021 Commitment to Justice Award recipients. The award, which honors the organization’s valued pro bono partners and supporters, highlighted Aviania’s “steadfast and solid” commitment to pro bono legal services. “I can’t think of anyone who is more organized and responsive,” noted the director of Her Justice’s Immigration Practice.

In March 2021, Immigration Equality, a leading national LGBTQ immigrant rights organization, announced that Cravath will be honored for the Firm’s dedication and quality of work for LGBTQ and HIV‑positive asylum seekers at the organization’s Safe Haven Awards Virtual Gala on May 20, 2021. Among Cravath’s work that earned the honor were its pro bono efforts to secure asylum for an HIV‑positive gay man who fled Cuba after being persecuted for his sexual orientation. Since 2017, Cravath has represented 16 clients referred by Immigration Equality with their applications for asylum, including clients from Burkina Faso, Cuba, El Salvador, Georgia, Honduras, Jamaica, Russia and Ukraine.

On September 16, 2020, Human Rights First announced it will award Cravath its 2020 Marvin E. Frankel award, which is presented annually in recognition of a law firm’s demonstrating outstanding dedication to pro bono service related to protecting refugees, clients in immigration detention and asylum-seekers. The award will be presented during Human Rights First’s Virtual Celebration on October 21, 2020. The Firm is being honored for its work on various asylum cases in 2019, for helping to establish new case law that will likely assist other asylum-seekers, and for its longstanding support of Human Rights First.

On July 21, 2020, the National Legal Aid & Defender Association (“NLADA”), the nation’s oldest and largest nonprofit association devoted to excellence in the delivery of legal services to those who cannot afford counsel, announced that Cravath will be honored with a 2020 “Beacon of Justice Award,” for pro bono work serving vulnerable people seeking asylum in the United States. Those individuals represented by Cravath included men and women from Africa, Europe and Latin America, each of whom faced serious prospects of persecution in the countries they left. Cravath also provided pro bono legal services to sick children and their families facing various immigration issues, and to immigrant victims of domestic violence.