Foley Hoag is pleased to announce that partner Jeffrey Mullan, associate Daniel Carlston, and former associate Cloe Pippin will receive the 2026 Adams Pro Bono Publico Award as members of the Devenscrest Tenants Association Pro Bono Team. The award is presented annually by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court's Standing Committee on Pro Bono Legal Services to recognize exceptional volunteer legal service on behalf of individuals and communities who otherwise might not have access to legal representation.

The Devenscrest Tenants Association Pro Bono Team is recognized for its role in helping preserve more than 100 affordable homes at Devenscrest Village, a 114-unit residential community in Ayer, Massachusetts. Following the property's acquisition by an investor in 2021, residents faced the prospect of substantial rent increases, displacement, and the loss of one of the region's largest sources of naturally occurring affordable housing.

Over more than four years, attorneys from Foley Hoag, Goulston & Storrs, the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, Northeast Legal Aid, and other collaborators worked alongside residents to support a tenant-led effort to preserve affordability at the property. Their work helped the Devenscrest Tenants Association organize, advocate for long-term protections, and pursue solutions that would allow residents to remain in their homes.

In February 2026, the effort culminated in the acquisition of Devenscrest Village by an affordable housing developer selected by the tenant association. The transaction permanently preserved affordability for all 114 units, established a framework for ongoing tenant participation in the property's future, and secured for the association an option to purchase the entire development.

This recognition reflects the determination of the Devenscrest residents and the commitment of the Commonwealth, which offered significant funding for the project, and the many advocates who worked to make this a reality, said Mullan. We are honored to have supported a tenant-led effort that preserved naturally occurring affordable housing and strengthened a community for generations to come.

The Supreme Judicial Court specifically cited the Devenscrest Tenants Association Pro Bono Team for dedicating thousands of pro bono hours over four and a half years to secure a lasting outcome for hundreds of low- and moderate-income residents, including seniors and individuals with disabilities.

The Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards will be presented by Supreme Judicial Court Associate Justice Elizabeth N. Dewar on October 29, 2026, at the John Adams Courthouse in Boston during the American Bar Association's National Celebration of Pro Bono.