Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association
16 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02108
www.mablacklawyers.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
President: Jameel Moore, Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association
Contact: info@mablacklawyers.org
MASSACHUSETTS BLACK LAWYERS ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES
TRAILBLAZERS AND LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RECIPIENTS
Boston, MA – October 6, 2025 – The Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association (“MBLA”) announced today that it will honor Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Associate Justice Serge Georges, Jr. and Attorney Angela C. McConney with its Trailblazer Awards, and Attorney Jacquelynne J. Bowman with its Lifetime Achievement Award at its annual Gala. The Trailblazer Award honors the outstanding achievements of lawyers whose exceptional leadership and dedication have left a profound mark on the legal profession. The Lifetime Achievement Award honors pioneers whose vision, courage, and commitment have made an extraordinary impact on the community and paved the way for future generations of attorneys. “We are excited to celebrate the leadership and impact of our extraordinary award recipients,” said MBLA President, Jameel Moore. “The honorees are all exceptional lawyers who have blazed trails and made significant and lasting contributions to the legal profession.”
Associate Justice Serge Georges, Jr., Attorney Angela C. McConney, and Attorney Jacquelynne J. Bowman will be honored at the MBLA’s annual Gala on Friday, April 10, 2026 at the InterContinental Hotel in Boston, MA. The Gala, the MBLA’s largest event and fundraiser of the year, is attended by over 600 hundred attorneys, judges, elected officials, industry professionals, and business and community leaders.
Honorable Serge Georges, Jr.
Associate Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Associate Justice Serge Georges, Jr. was appointed to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court by Governor Charlie Baker on December 16, 2020. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Boston College in 1992 and his law degree from Suffolk University Law School in 1996. Following law school, Justice Georges began his legal career at Rackermann, Sawyer & Brewster, P.C. and Todd & Weld, LLP. In 2007, he joined Barron & Stadfield, P.C., and later became a partner. Governor Deval Patrick appointed Justice Georges as an Associate Justice of the Boston Municipal Court in 2013.
Justice Georges is also an adjunct professor at Suffolk University Law School and the University of Massachusetts School of Law, where he teaches courses in Evidence, Professional Responsibility, Evidence, and Trial Advocacy. He served on multiple boards during his legal career, including the Board of Governors of the Massachusetts Academy of Trial Lawyers. He was the president of the MBLA in 2013.
Commissioner Angela C. McConney
Massachusetts Civil Service Commission
Commissioner Angela C. McConney was appointed as a Commissioner of the Civil Service Commission (“Commission”) by Governor Charlie Baker in 2022. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College and her law degree from the University of Iowa College of Law. Commissioner McConney has had a long career in public service. She served as an Administrative Magistrate for the Division of Administrative Law Appeals after her tenure as the Commission’s General Counsel. She was also an Assistant District Attorney for the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office and the Legal Counsel for the Massachusetts House of Representatives Criminal
Justice Committee.
Commissioner McConney has been active in the Bar and in the work of Access to Justice. She is the Chair of the Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts (IOLTA) Committee; the SJC first appointed her to the committee in 2020. In 2022, Commissioner McConney was elected as president of the Massachusetts Bar Foundation (“MBF”), the first president of color in the MBF’s then-58-year history. She also served on the Massachusetts Bar Association’s Executive Management Board, Budget and Finance Committee, and the House of Delegates.
Commissioner McConney was president of the MBLA from 2006 to 2007.
Attorney Jacquelynne J. Bowman
Executive Director of Greater Boston Legal Services
Attorney Bowman is a nonprofit executive and a nationally recognized expert in family and juvenile law and law practice management. She earned her law degree from Antioch University School of Law in 1979. Over the course of her career, Attorney Bowman served in various roles at Greater Boston Legal Services (“GBLS”). She joined GBLS in 1984 as a senior attorney and left in 1991 to work at the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute (“MLRI”). At MLRI, Attorney Bowman worked as the state support attorney for family and juvenile law matters. In 1998, she returned to GBLS as an Associate Director. She became the Deputy Director and advanced to Executive Director in 2011. Every year, GBLS provides free legal services to more than 10,000 low-income families and individuals in civil matters. As the Executive Director of GBLS, Attorney Bowman provides strategic leadership and oversees the organization’s day-to-day operations. Attorney Bowman served on the Access to Justice Commission of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court and is currently a member of its committee on racial equity. She is the Section Chair of the Massachusetts Bar Association’s Access to Justice Section Council. She also serves on several boards of nonprofit organizations and on the ABA’s Commission on Pro Bono and Public Service.
About the Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association
Founded on March 2, 1973, the MBLA proudly stands as the oldest affinity bar organization in Massachusetts. As a beacon of advocacy and empowerment, we are committed to uplifting our members, amplifying their voices, and driving positive societal change for generations to come.
The MBLA is dedicated to fostering diversity, equity and inclusion within the legal field while advocating for systematic change to promote justice and equality in our communities. Through education, mentorship, and collaborative action, we strive to create a more inclusive and equitable legal industry while addressing the systemic challenges faced by Black individuals.
For more information, visit www.mablacklawyers.org.