Exemplar Awards

NLADA will honor Relativity and its Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Legal Officer, Adam Weiss, with the 2026 Exemplar Award, recognizing their leadership in advancing equal justice through support for legal aid and pro bono organizations.

The Exemplar Award is one of NLADA's highest honors. Presented annually, it recognizes one or more members of the private bar or corporate community who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in promoting and supporting equal justice.

Each Exemplar honoree has made invaluable commitments and contributions to pro bono and public service and supported NLADA’s work to provide equal access to justice for all. Click

HERE to view this year’s Exemplar Awardees and past honorees.

Kutak-Dodds Prizes

Each year NLADA and the Robert J. Kutak Foundation jointly awards the Kutak-Dodds Prizes to honor the accomplishments of a civil legal aid attorney and a public defender. NLADA has named Ariella Hyman, Paula Sen and Michael Mellon recipients of the 2026 Kutak-Dodds Prizes, honoring their extraordinary contributions to civil legal aid, public defense, and the pursuit of equal justice.

The 2026 Kutak-Dodds Prize Civil Legal Aid winner Ariella Hyman is the Director of Program and Advocacy at Bay Area Legal Aid. For 34 years, Hyman has worked to advance justice for low-income communities at Bay Area Legal Aid and its predecessor, San Francisco Neighborhood Legal Assistance Foundation.

The joint 2026 Kutak-Dodds Prize Defender winners Paula Sen and Michael Mellons are attorneys at the Defender Association of Philadelphia, where they co-lead the Police Accountability Unit. Sen and Mellon have also helped shape major police reform efforts in Philadelphia. Each winner will be honored at the NLADA Exemplar Award Gala on Thursday, September 24, in Washington, DC.

Click HERE to see view this year's Kutak-Dodds Prize winners and past honorees.

Beacon of Justice Awards

NLADA’s Beacon of Justice Awards honor members of the pro bono legal community who are tireless advocates for equal justice. The 2026 Beacon of Justice Awards recognize law firms addressing issues related to “Protecting Democracy and Civil Rights” for work done in 2025.

The 2026 Beacon of Justice Award honorees include Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, Alston & Bird LLP, Ashurst Perkins Coie LLP, BakerHostetler LLP, Baker McKenzie, Beveridge & Diamond P.C., BraunHagey & Borden LLP, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP, Crowell & Moring LLP,Dechert LLP, Dentons US LLP, DLA Piper LLP (US), Dunn Isaacson Rhee LLP, Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP, Fried Frank LLP, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, Goodwin Procter LLP, Hanson Bridgett LLP, Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, Jenner & Block LLP, Lowenstein Sandler LLP, McCarter & English LLP, Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo P.C., Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP, Nixon Peabody LLP, Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP, Steptoe LLP, Stinson LLP, Venable LLP, Wiley LLP, Wills for the People, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati P.C., and Zuckerman Spaeder LLP.

2026 Sponsors
As of September 16

*Not a 2026 Beacon of Justice Awardee