Steven H. Wright – Holland & Knight LLP
"During these very challenging and uncertain times, as lawyers and leaders of our community, it is important for us to protect and help our most vulnerable citizens. The contributions made to the BBF for the Adams Ball is one of the most direct means of providing broad legal assistance, access to justice, and assistance with housing and health related legal issues. The work of the BBF will have meaningful impact on the reduction of homelessness, foreclosures, and financial hardship for those in need. Further, through legal assistance, it will positively impact children's need for safety, housing and health care.  Personally, I can't think of a more important contribution we can make to our community during this holiday season."

 Mary K. Ryan – Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP
"Three reasons.  First, I was around when the idea for the first Adams Ball took hold. Back in the mid-1990s, the BBF had its own Board of Trustees for the first time. John Hamill was a member. I remember him telling us that Boston was a city with charity balls every weekend from September to May and we, too, should have a signature event supported by the entire community because what the BBF did was important for everyone, not just for lawyers. (Proof: this year Mayor Menino will join us from 6 - 8:00 PM.)  Since then, the Adams Ball has grown to become a powerful fundraiser and an opportunity to get the message out about the mission of the BBF.  Second, it is that mission that motivates me the most. The BBF supports core legal services, often through innovative strategies; promotes public understanding of the law (for example, seed money for Discovering Justice); and supports initiatives that improve the justice system. Third, I go year after year because I see my friends and colleagues, their spouses and significant others – in a word, because it is a good time and a lot of fun. Remember last year when we watched the Sox?  There will be a great band as always and a scrumptious dessert bar. I hope to see you there – come have some good cheer and support a great cause."

John J. Regan – WilmerHale
"WilmerHale has been a steadfast contributor every year to the Adams Ball event for a simple reason: the funds raised provide essential and quality legal services to the neediest members of the Greater Boston community. A contribution lets us do our part, as members of the private bar, to support directly our colleagues in the legal services community, who have dedicated themselves to the challenges of advocating for those most in need of representation, in areas such as immigration, foreclosures, and government entitlements. A contribution lets any law firm or lawyer affirm that equal access to justice is as important today as it has ever been."

Lisa C. Wood – Foley Hoag LLP
As the current chair of the Massachusetts IOLTA committee, I know first hand how much the current credit crisis has decreased IOLTA revenue, which is one of the key funding sources here in Massachusetts for critical legal services programs. On top of these dramatic cuts in IOLTA revenue, the legal needs of the poor have increased significantly, and thus we must turn away more and more people who are in desperate need of a lawyer but have no means to pay for one. I support legal services because I am able to do so; and because the need is great. I am in awe of the lawyers who devote their lives to legal services as a career, but know that they cannot do this work alone. All of us who are fortunate enough to be in a position to support their efforts should do so.  Our family had the pleasure this past weekend of watching the Actor's Shakespeare Project's production of The Merchant of Venice. I  close with a few lines from Portia's speech about mercy and justice:  

The quality of mercy is not strained.
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed:
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.

Anthony M. Doniger – Sugarman, Rogers, Barshak & Cohen P.C.
"The Adams Ball is the signature fundraising event for the BBF. As such, supporting it generously is crucial to the work of the BBF. The BBF ensures that the mission of the BBA, to improve the administration of justice and to increase the availability of legal services to the disadvantaged, is carried out. In these trying times, where more and more poor people are in critical need of legal services, there is no better way to provide such support than giving generously to the Adams Ball. It also is a good excuse to party."

Phoebe G. Winder – K&L Gates
"I support the Adams Ball because it is such an important part of the BBF's fundraising efforts, and because in these tough economic times, non-profit legal services are stretched thinner than ever."

Joel B. Sherman – Goulston & Storrs 
"Support of the upcoming Adams Ball is particularly critical in light of the current economic climate and its impact on the wide range of legal services rendered by the large number of agencies supported by the BBF. More than ever, many people in the Greater Boston area are very dependent on these agencies to assist them in navigating complex issues in areas such as evictions, foreclosures, bankruptcies, and health care."

Paula K. Andrews – Hinckley Allen Snyder LLP
"I'm a corporate lawyer with scant opportunities to devote any meaningful time or talent to those less fortunate members of our community.  Supporting the Adams Ball through my fundraising efforts allows me a unique opportunity to increase the amount of financial support that the BBF can give to the various organizations that do serve this community on a daily basis.  Whether the need is affordable housing, basic health care, protection from domestic abuse, access to our courts and to the lawyers who can represent them, or other legal services for the poor or the disenfranchised, the money raised by the Adams Ball allows these organizations to provide these much needed services.  In this way I'm able to do indirectly what I cannot do directly, help those in need."

Anthony A. Froio – Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi LLP
"Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi LLP supports the Adams Ball because its mission directly aligns with a core value of our firm, that is promoting public understanding of the law and improving the delivery of justice in Massachusetts. Our partners, associates and staff are proud of being part of an effort which provides grants to community organizations which provide legal services to those in need in the Greater Boston area.  We have been privileged to be part of the BBF's mission, and intend to continue to do so in the future."

Merrily S. Gerrish – Bank of America
"My support for the Adams Ball goes back to my two predecessor banks – BankBoston and Fleet. The General Counsels of those entities, Gary Spiess and Bill Mutterperl, were both big supporters of the BBF and both served at different times as Chairman of the Ball. It is through them that I got acquainted with the Adams Ball and all that the BBF does. I was glad to continue to obtain support for the Ball when my company became Bank of America because I think it is important for those companies who have headquarters outside of Boston but who maintain a significant presence in Boston continue to support the Adams Ball and the legal services entities that the BBF supports."

David P. Rosenblatt – Burns & Levinson LLP
"My wife and I attend each year and I am amazed that even though I think I know a lot of lawyers in town, my wife always seems to know more people at the event than me and she's not a lawyer. So each year, I go with great anticipation to see which of my wife's former co-workers, classmates and old boyfriends she will run into. Wouldn't miss that for anything!"

Donna M. Evans – Greenberg Traurig, LLP
"Supporting the Adams Ball is, in my view, a very important facet of what I do as a member of the bar – give back to the community in which I work and live. I know with certainty that the BBF will make sound decisions to put the charitable contributions received as a result of the Adams Ball to work in ways that will have significant impact."

George P. Field – Verrill Dana, LLP
"I and my firm support the Adams Ball because its proceeds directly fund critical assistance to low-income individuals and families, and important community service initiatives.  The dedicated legal services lawyers and others who perform this work need and deserve our support, and especially in this economy they and their clients labor against great disadvantages.  It is our responsibility and our privilege to help – and the Ball is an elegant, fun evening!"