Foundation for Judicial Friends Honors Boston for Her Commitment to Legal Service

Arnold & Porter partner Sheila S. Boston was recently awarded the Jane Bolin Award by the Foundation for the Judicial Friends, Inc., for her "trailblazing path in the legal profession" and "her commitment to the law, justice, and public service." Founded in 1978, the Judicial Friends is an association of judges of color who sit in New York State on the federal, state, or local benches.

Boston, a partner in the firm's Product Liability practice who defends clients from initiation of the case through trial and/or settlement, is valued by her clients for her advocacy skills, dependability, and collaborative spirit. In 2020, Boston became the first woman of color installed as president of the 150-year-old New York City Bar Association.

Jane Bolin, after whom Sheila's award is named, was a trailblazing attorney who became the first African American female judge in the United States, serving on New York's Family Court for four decades. Bolin was also the first black woman to receive a law degree from Yale; the first black woman to work with the New York City Corporation Counsel's office; and the first black woman to be admitted to the Bar Association of New York City–the organization of which Sheila is now President.

Founded in 1978, the Judicial Friends is an association of judges of color who sit in New York State on the federal, state, or local benches. The Association mentors law students, offers judicial internships, educates the community to improve understanding of the rule of law, and provides scholarships to law students.