The Philadelphia Bar Foundation Announces 2023 Access to Justice Award Recipients

The Philadelphia Bar Foundation is proud to announce that Professor Seth Kreimer, of the University of Pennsylvania Law School is the recipient of the 2023 Philadelphia Bar Foundation Award, and Holland and Knight LLP is the recipient of the 2023 Pro Bono Award.

The Philadelphia Bar Foundation Award celebrates the work of public interest attorneys who have dedicated their careers to the fight for equal access to justice. This Award was originally established in 1979 by the Apothaker family, as the Louis D. Apothaker Award, to memorialize the legal accomplishments and community work of the late Louis D. Apothaker, a past president of the Philadelphia Bar Foundation. The Award was renamed to the Philadelphia Bar Foundation Award in 2005 and continues to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the pursuit of equal justice in our region.  

Seth Kreimer has taught at Penn Law for over four decades. His work has focused on civil rights, civil liberties, and access to justice issues. He has advised and mentored a generation of public interest lawyers as a community leader, public interest attorney, and educator.

The Philadelphia Bar Foundation Pro Bono Award recognizes area law firms and corporate legal departments that have demonstrated outstanding volunteer efforts and a commitment to expanding pro bono legal services in innovative and effective ways. As the 2023 Pro Bono Award recipient, Holland and Knight is being recognized for its remarkable effort in 2022 to provide training and pro bono services in support of thousands of Afghan asylum seekers, providing high-quality legal counsel with dignity and respect.

The Philadelphia Bar Foundation will present both awards at the annual Access to Justice Awards Celebration on Thursday, November 9, 2023. The celebration will take place at Philadelphia’s Fitler Club. WHYY’s afternoon drive host and news anchor, Cherri Gregg, will emcee, and Representative Joanna E. McClinton, Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives will provide opening remarks.

The Philadelphia Bar Foundation thanks its Unified Giving partners and Access to Justice Sponsors for making the evening possible as we celebrate Philadelphia’s public interest community, civil legal aid organizations, and the businesses that partner with the Foundation to remove barriers to justice and engage the community in support of civil legal aid.