Awards given during the 10th annual Medical-Legal Partnership Summit on Thursday, April 9, 2015, honored organizations for their leadership in advancing the medical-legal partnership movement.
Medical-Legal Partnership Leadership Award
Emily Bourdeau and Braden Lang from The Advisory Board Company accepted the MLP Leadership Award. (Photo credit: Z Miller Photography.)
The Medical-Legal Partnership Leadership Award was established in 2010 and is given annually to recognize an individual or group whose leadership, vision and hard work have significantly advanced and strengthened the medical-legal partnership movement to reach people and communities in need.
The Advisory Board Company (ABC), a global technology, research, and consulting firm headquartered in Washington DC, was honored for its extensive analysis of medical-legal partnership approach and its work providing research and modeling for investment in and measurement of medical-legal partnership. ABC helped the Children’s Law Center (CLC) and their three MLPs — with Children’s National Health Systems, Mary’s Center and Unity Health Care — work with a local Medicaid MCO to determine the financial return on investment of their legal intervention and develop a savings sharing plan.
Since 2013, ABC has also supported the national Better Team for Child Health learning network. ABC conducted extensive interviews with each participating Children’s Hospital-based MLP, analyzed the data and presented its findings at the national learning network meeting. ABC is also currently developing a legal needs screening module, and supporting development of a veterans-focused MLP initiative and routinely provides speakers and experts for national MLP webinars and meetings.
American Bar Association Outstanding Pro Bono Advocacy in MLP Award
Awarded by the American Bar Association Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service
Ropes & Gray accepting the ABA Outstanding Pro Bono Advocacy in MLP Award. (Photo credit: Z Miller Photography)
The ABA Outstanding Pro Bono Advocacy in Medical-Legal Partnership Award was established in 2011 and is given annually to recognize legal partners for their critical role in expanding the value of pro bono as a key component of medical-legal partnerships.
In 2008, with the encouragement of Medical-Legal Partnership | Boston, the law firm of Ropes & Gray made a commitment to the leadership team at a Boston neighborhood community health center. Since then Ropes & Gray has logged over 42,000 hours of pro bono legal services through local medical-legal partnership initiatives. The firm’s most significant efforts have taken place in support of the Dorchester House Multi-Service Center. More than 500 Ropes & Gray attorneys, paralegals and staff have served over 230 patient-families with more than 240 distinct legal matters. The scope of their work includes representation on housing/utilities, immigration, education, public benefits, and family law. Working with the Center has enabled Ropes & Gray to reevaluate the firm’s commitment to cultural competence. Associates have gained experience in client advocacy, and productive networks have been built across the firm bringing together partners, associates, paralegals and other staff. Most of all, the firm has made major contributions to improving the health of children, families and the broader community.