Established in 2000, the Law School’s annual Pro Bono Award is presented to a graduating J.D. student who demonstrates an “extraordinary commitment” to service and who exemplifies the values of pro bono through delivery of critical legal services to underserved communities. Award recipients are selected, based not only their hours of pro bono, but also on the scope of their volunteer work and leadership in the law school community. The graduates who are honored with the pro bono award, have logged well in excess of the 75 hours required to meet the Pro Bono Challenge. In recognition of their achievement, the awardees are formally recognized at the Law School’s graduation ceremony and receive a gift commemorating their pro bono contributions.
2022 Pro Bono Award Recipient
Maggie Woodward ’22
Maggie Woodward ’22 is this year’s recipient of the annual Pro Bono Award. The award recognizes the graduate who best demonstrates an “extraordinary commitment to pro bono service.” Maggie was commended for providing more than 450 hours of pro bono service with numerous organizations including the Massachusetts Executive Office for Energy and Environmental Affairs; Chesapeake Legal Alliance; Legal Aid Justice Center, Housing Justice project and the U.S. Green Building Council. Woodward’s exceptional commitment to public service was also recognized with the 2021 Claire M. Corcoran Award.
During her three years at the law school, Woodward served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Virginia Environmental Law Journal, served as the President of the Virginia Environmental Law Forum, and as selected as a Fellow for the Program in Law and Public Service. She worked as a summer legal intern for the Southern Environmental Law Center and the Albemarle County Attorney’s Office.
After graduation, Woodward will relocate to Washington, D.C. to work as a staff attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice, Environment and Natural Resources Division.
Previous Pro Bono Award Recipients
- Kolleen Gladden '21
- Miranda K. Russell '20
- Amy Fly '19
- Megan C. Keenan ’18 (co-winner)
- Cory K. Sagduyu ’18 (co-winner)
- Clayton Read Pasley ’17 (co-winner)
- Rachel Ellen Simon ’17 (co-winner)
- Jacob Edward Aronson ’16
- Madeline J. Starbranch ’15
- Carolyn Jean Rumer ’14
- Thomas Samuel Silverstein ’13
- Evan Grant Didier ’12
- Erin Colleen Houlihan ’11 (co-winner)
- Rachel Lauren Paul ’11 (co-winner)
- Daniel Aaron Grossman ’10 (co-winner)
- Kristin Jo Uicker ’10 (co-winner)
- Rebecca Dopkins Vallas ’09
- Ryan Scott Faulconer ’08 (co-winner)
- Amy Lynn Woolard ’08 (co-winner)
- Rachel Elizabeth Cella ’07
- Ryan Tharen Almstead ’06
- Heather Schroeder Eastwood ’05
- Areshini Pather ’04
- Angela Adair Ciolfi ’03
- Maria Monique Mlynar ’02
- Amy Julia Collins ’01
- Jason Mark Zuckerman ’00 (inaugural recipient)
