The Nonprofit Organizations Committee of the American Bar Association (Business Law Section) recently announced its 2026 Outstanding Nonprofit Lawyer Award recipients. 

The Committee on Nonprofit Organizations presents the Awards annually to outstanding lawyers in the categories of Academic, Attorney, Nonprofit In-House Counsel, and Young Attorney. – Outstanding Nonprofit Lawyer Awards

Congratulations to the 2026 Outstanding Nonprofit Lawyer Award Recipients!

Vanguard Award – for distinguished lifetime achievement in the nonprofit sector:  Celia Roady, Retired Partner, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

Outstanding Lawyer Award – for distinguished service as outside counsel to  nonprofit organizations:  David A. Levitt, Principal, Adler & Colvin

Outstanding In-House Counsel Award – for distinguished service by a  nonprofit in-house counsel:  Ricardo Castro, Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Outstanding Academic Award – for distinguished academic achievement  in the nonprofit sector:  Afshan Paarlberg, Assistant Research Scholar, Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy

Outstanding Young Lawyer Award – for distinguished service by an attorney in the nonprofit sector who is under the age of 35 or has been in practice less than 10 years:  Kevin M. Serafino, Associate, Tenenbaum Law Group PLLC

Past Award Recipients

2025 Outstanding Nonprofit Lawyer Award Recipients

2024 Outstanding Nonprofit Lawyer Award Recipients

2023 Outstanding Nonprofit Lawyer Award Recipients

2022 Outstanding Nonprofit Lawyer Award Recipients

2021 Outstanding Nonprofit Lawyer Award Recipients

In the more distant past, Erin Bradrick and Emily Chan (Adler & Colvin) have also been honored with Outstanding Nonprofit Lawyer Awards by the Nonprofit Organizations Committee of the ABA. It is truly humbling to be part of the entire community of lawyers, whether formally recognized or not, who have made a career out of serving nonprofits.