New Jersey Judiciary Honors Attorneys for Pro Bono Service

The Judiciary hosted its sixth annual attorney pro bono recognition ceremony today, honoring 13 attorneys for their exceptional dedication in providing free legal services to those in need.

Chief Justice Stuart Rabner told the honorees they lead by example and “set the mark for others” by balancing the demands of their legal practices with volunteer efforts to provide needed legal assistance to victims of domestic violence, families at risk, people who need the help of a guardian, and other vulnerable individuals.

“Our justice system depends on the commitment and compassion of pro bono attorneys like the gifted lawyers we recognize today. We thank them not only for their selfless efforts but also for reminding us that the law is a noble profession.  And we are grateful to them for leading the way,” Chief Justice Rabner said. 

Associate Justice Michael Noriega delivered the keynote speech for the ceremony, telling those gathered at the Richard J. Hughes Justice Complex in Trenton that the many benefits of the legal profession come with a deep responsibility to serve the public. He noted that the Latin translation for pro bono is “for the public good.”

“So, while our Judiciary requires that all licensed attorneys devote a portion of their time for the public good, we are here to honor the select few that have gone above and beyond that requirement,” Noriega said.

The 13 attorneys honored by the Judiciary are:

•    Mark T. Apostolou, Jr. (Monmouth)
•    Leonard Busch (Middlesex) 
•    James DiGiulio (Essex) 
•    Michael Ferrara (Burlington) 
•    Judith Hartz (Essex) 
•    Patricia Lee (Essex) 
•    Adolfo Lopez (Hudson) 
•    Angela Pastor (Middlesex)
•    John P. Robertson (Morris/Sussex) 
•    Melissa M. Ruvolo (Morris/Sussex) 
•    Matthew S. Seymour (Bergen) 
•    Xiao Sun (Morris/Sussex) 
•    Bohdan Zachariasevych (Cumberland/Gloucester/Salem)

The ceremony, as well as a video in which the honorees talk about their pro bono service, can be viewed on the Judiciary’s Facebook page.