Pierce Atwood Recognizes Attorney and Staff Members at 11th Annual Pro Bono & Community Service Award Ceremony
Each year, Pierce Atwood recognizes attorneys and staff members who have made outstanding contributions to our communities and to our firm. In our 11th annual Pro Bono & Community Service Awards Ceremony, held on March 25, 2025, the firm recognized attorneys and staff who personify our culture of giving back to the community through pro bono and community service efforts. This year’s award recipients are:
Lancaster Pro Bono Attorney of the Year
Named in honor of longtime partner Ralph I. Lancaster, Jr., this award is presented to the attorney who has contributed the highest number of pro bono hours in a year. The 2024 Lancaster award was presented to Trusts & Estates attorney Lawrence Hunt, with 88.4 hours. Most of Larry’s pro bono hours were devoted to representing the nonprofit Cape Cod Center for the Arts in an appeal, joined by the Massachusetts Attorney General, of a probate court decision with significant implications for charitable trusts in Massachusetts.
McKusick Community Impact Award
Named after Vincent Lee McKusick, former Chief Justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court and Pierce Atwood attorney and friend for more than 50 years, this award recognizes one attorney and one staff member who have made significant, positive impacts in their communities through pro bono and/or community service. This year’s winners are:
- Scott Cammarn, a banking attorney in the Portland office, demonstrates his deep commitment to community through his significant pro bono legal service for, and volunteer work with, Harpswell Neck (Maine) Fire & Rescue. Scott has provided pro bono counsel to this nonprofit volunteer fire and rescue service on matters including corporate governance, contracting issues, employment law, and administrative filings.
- Nicole Bezanson, manager of trust operations, raises funds from the community to provide pampering gift bags to the residents at Through These Doors, a domestic violence resource center in Cumberland County (Maine). In connection with this fundraising effort, every spring Nicole petitions The Mary Kay Ash Foundation in support of a grant request prepared by Through These Doors. In 2023, because of this partnership, Through These Doors was awarded a $20,000 grant, to be used to expand their residential accommodations. This is another step toward being able to support more women in need of a room at the shelter.
Scribner Firm Impact Award
Named for longtime former partner Fred Scribner, whose legacy endures through the firm’s commitment to the community, its employees, and the law, this award is given annually to one attorney and one staff member who work to keep pro bono and community service top of mind throughout the firm. This year’s winners are:
- Sonia Buck, a business and bankruptcy attorney in the Portland office. Sonia works passionately to promote and expand the work of the firm’s Maine Pro Bono Eviction Defense Team, which provides legal support to low-income tenants facing eviction. In 2024, Sonia worked on five eviction defense matters, helping families and individuals navigate these vulnerable situations.
- Stephanie Clarke, a legal assistant, demonstrates initiative, professionalism, and enthusiasm in facilitating multiple firm pro bono and community service initiatives – and volunteers her own time. Steph coordinated a team of firm attorneys and staff to volunteer with Junior Achievement of Maine’s “Economics for Success” financial literacy program at Gorham Middle School. Not only did Steph handle the logistics and preparatory steps, she also volunteered her time as a member of the Pierce Atwood team, introducing seventh grade students to financial literacy concepts. She also coordinates our Maine Pro Bono Eviction Defense Team.
Our commitment to the communities we serve has become a lasting, continuous thread, woven deeply into the fabric of Pierce Atwood. That fabric now stretches across seven East Coast offices, where in the past year, we provided nearly 1500 hours of pro bono legal services to 40 organizations, and nearly 4000 volunteer hours of community service. For more information about the firm’s commitment to the community, please check out our complete 2024 pro bono and community service report or visit the pro bono pages of our website.