On March 25, 2026, Attorney Nathanson was awarded the Brownlow Speer Award for appellate advocacy by the Massachusetts Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. The award is named for Brownlow Speer who long headed the Committee for Public Counsel Services appeals unit and was widely acknowledged as the most brilliant appellate advocate in Massachusetts history. The award was particularly meaningful for Attorney Nathanson, who learned much from “Browny” Speer during his time at CPCS.
Appellate Win in Eviction Case
In the appeal of an eviction case, Attorney Jellison helped develop issues and write a brief with a team of lawyers working through the Volunteer Lawyers Project. The Appellate Division of the District Court held that the district court judge abused his discretion when he failed to grant a continuance so that the elderly and disabled tenant could obtain counsel and present defenses. The tenant will now have the opportunity for a new hearing.