Elliott Greenleaf’s Colin J. O’Boyle Awarded PA Bar Association YLD’s 2022 Michael K. Smith Award

Firm News

The Pennsylvania Bar Association Young Lawyer’s Division awarded its 2022 Michael K. Smith Award to Elliott Greenleaf Shareholder, Colin J. O’Boyle. The award is named in memory of a young Philadelphia lawyer committed to providing legal services for low-income people and offering law-related educational programs to students. It is presented to a Pennsylvania young lawyer who, through his or her exemplary personal and professional conduct, reminds lawyers of their professional and community responsibilities. O’Boyle was recognized for his many years of service in leadership of the PBA YLD, including serving as YLD Chair from May 2020-May 2021.  During that year, COVID restrictions forced the YLD to cancel all traditional meetings and in person events.  O’Boyle helped the YLD transition to a virtual body, with new monthly Zoom meetings, to continue to support young lawyers with both substantive content and mental health initiatives throughout the Commonwealth.  Throughout this time, he was also an active voice in the Board of Governors and House of Delegates, including advocating to resume Wills for Heroes with its expanded scope to include healthcare workers, promoting temporary legal status for 2020 law school graduates, encouraging remote Bar Exams to ensure safe and lower stress test taking, promoting volunteers to ensure voter access in the 2020 election, and more. O’Boyle is particularly proud of the “Becoming Series” he created, which highlighted successful diverse judges and lawyers in a four-part speaker series to discuss their paths to success as both inspiration and aspiration for young lawyers.