Zuckerman Spaeder Receives NLADA’s Beacon of Justice Award for Pro Bono Work Advancing Civil Rights and Democracy

The National Legal Aid & Defender Association has again recognized Zuckerman Spaeder for its pro bono work, naming the firm a recipient of the 2026 Beacon of Justice Award. The award honors law firms whose pro bono work helped protect democracy and civil society, including matters involving immigration, freedom of speech, domestic violence, and efforts to dismantle systemic barriers to justice.

This marks the fifth time in six years that Zuckerman Spaeder has received the Beacon of Justice Award.

The firm’s recent work has included protecting access to counsel for detained immigrants with cognitive disabilities, defending the independence of Voice of America and the U.S. Agency for Global Media, safeguarding housing rights for immigrant families, securing asylum and family reunification for a survivor of persecution, and challenging barriers to public benefits and public records.

“We are honored to receive this recognition from NLADA, particularly at a time when the rule of law, access to counsel, and civil society institutions are under serious strain,” said Pro Bono program co-chair Steve Herman. “Our pro bono work reflects the same commitment we bring to all of our matters: standing up for clients facing high stakes, holding decisionmakers accountable and using the law to protect rights that matter far beyond a single case.”

Over the course of the last year, Zuckerman Spaeder represented several immigrant rights organizations in challenging the government’s termination of the National Qualified Representative Program, which provides qualified representatives for detained immigrants with cognitive disabilities. The firm secured a preliminary injunction restoring the program by arguing that the elimination of this existing right to representation for a uniquely vulnerable population violated the Administrative Procedure Act. 

The firm also represented Voice of America’s director and two employees after VOA and the U.S. Agency for Global Media were effectively shut down in March 2025. Before the shutdown, VOA broadcast news and information in 49 languages to more than 354 million people each week. In March 2026, U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth granted summary judgment and held that the government’s efforts to dismantle the agency were unlawful. The firm also represented the Director of VOA when an attempt was made to fire him in July 2025. Judge Lamberth blocked Abramowitz’s removal, and the case is pending in the D.C. Circuit.

Zuckerman Spaeder continued its work protecting housing rights for immigrant families through a case that challenged a mobile home park policy requiring adult tenants to prove lawful immigration status or face eviction. Working with the Legal Aid Justice Center, the firm helped secure a Fourth Circuit ruling rejecting the argument that landlords risk prosecution under a federal anti-harboring statute simply by renting to families with undocumented immigrants. In April 2025, the firm negotiated a pre-trial settlement with the park’s owners.

The firm also secured asylum for a Cameroonian client who had survived extreme violence and persecution and had spent years navigating the immigration system. After obtaining asylum, Zuckerman Spaeder helped reunite her with her children and successfully secured their admission to the U.S. from Ghana.

In other recent pro bono work, Zuckerman Spaeder challenged the District of Columbia’s refusal to increase Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits as required by law. D.C. reversed course before litigation was filed, restoring approximately $40 million in benefits for thousands of low-income residents. The firm also partnered with the ACLU of Maryland to secure a settlement requiring a Maryland county sheriff’s office to release police records and pay $35,000 in fees after unlawfully restricting public access to records.

Zuckerman Spaeder was previously honored with the Beacon of Justice Award in 2025, 2024, 2022, and 2021.

The NLADA is the nation’s oldest and largest nonprofit association devoted to excellence in the delivery of legal services to people who cannot afford counsel. The 2026 Beacon of Justice Awards will be presented at NLADA’s Exemplar Awards gala on September 24 in Washington, DC. To learn more, visit: https://www.nlada.org.