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In Memoriam: Mary K. Ryan
Print PDFWe note with sorrow the passing of our former partner, Mary K. Ryan.
Mary made her career at Nutter. Beloved by clients, she was preeminent in her field and for a good reason. It is impossible to overstate how Mary’s extraordinary dedication and selflessness inspired meaningful change. She was a trailblazer for women in the legal profession and at Nutter. A pillar of the environmental law community, Mary was a Fellow of the prestigious American College of Environmental Lawyers and a Director of the Environmental Business Council of New England for over 25 years, serving as Clerk for much of that time.
For Mary, it was important to be engaged in the profession. She was active in local, national, and specialty bar associations. To name just a few of her leadership roles, she was a past president of the Boston Bar Association and Women’s Bar Association. Mary served on the ABA Board of Governors and as a member of the ABA House of Delegates. She also served on the SJC’s Access to Justice Commission. Mary was a former clerk and board member of the Real Estate Bar Association of Massachusetts and the founding co-chair of its Environmental Committee.
Mary set the gold standard for pro bono and public service. She was passionately committed to pro bono efforts and helping those in need. Mary was a force of nature so once again it is impossible to list all of her impressive work, but some notable examples include serving on the ABA Commission on Immigration and co-chairing the ABA’s Working Group on Unaccompanied Minor Immigrants. She demonstrated an unwavering commitment to improving our legal system to make access to justice a reality for all.
Over the course of her career, Mary received numerous accolades for her professional accomplishments, including ABA’s John H. Pickering Award of Achievement, BBA’s Thurgood Marshall Award, Dennis Maguire Pro Bono Award, Stephen G. Lewis Environmental Award, Chambers USA, BTI Client Service All-Star, Client Choice Award, The Best Lawyers in America, Super Lawyers, Boston Magazine’s “Top Lawyers,” WBA’s Leila J. Robinson Award, Acritas Stars, and Lawdragon 500. The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce honored Mary with the Pinnacle Award for Achievement in the Professions for her outstanding achievements in the workplace, leadership that made a difference, and commitment to enhancing the quality of life in the region. Additionally, Mary was named to Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly’s “Circle of Excellence.”
Upon graduation from law school, Mary served as law clerk and then chief law clerk to the Justices of the Superior Court of Massachusetts and as law clerk to the Honorable Ruth I. Abrams, former associate justice of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts. Mary earned her J.D., magna cum laude, from Boston College Law School and her B.A., magna cum laude, from Tufts University.
We extend our sincere condolences to Mary’s family, colleagues, and friends.