On May 11, 2009, Goodwin Procter and the Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association (MBLA) honored ABA Spirit of Excellence Award honorees Richard Soden and Professor Charles Ogletree at a special cocktail reception in Goodwin Procter’s Conference Center in Boston. Nearly 90 friends and colleagues of Richard and Charles attended the event.
In her welcoming remarks, Regina Pisa recognized the strong partnership that the MBLA and Goodwin Procter have formed in promoting diversity over the years. Acknowledging our innovative approach and dedicated efforts, Regina affirmed that “in gathering together, we hope to forge new relationships across the legal community that will continue to advance diversity in the profession.”
Host Wayne Budd shared some of the highlights of Richard and Charles’ career and toasted both by saying that they’re “outstanding men who demonstrate, and indeed live, the spirit of excellence in everything that they do.”
Each year, the Spirit of Excellence Award is presented by the ABA's Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession to lawyers who excel in their profession, personify excellence on the national, state, or local level, and demonstrate a commitment to racial and ethnic diversity in the legal profession.