Arnold & Porter partner Sheila S. Boston was honored with the 2024 Justice Award during Justice in Aging's recent event, "Celebrate Justice in Aging." Justice in Aging is a national non-profit legal advocacy organization that fights senior poverty through law.
Boston was recognized for her outstanding pro bono work on two class action lawsuits related to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits that have made a tremendous impact for low-income older and disabled adults throughout the country. The first class action,Campos v. Kijakazi, was brought on behalf of five SSI recipients complaining of pandemic-related administrative errors and shutdowns that led the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) to assess SSI overpayments. On November 23, 2023, a settlement was approved that will grant millions of dollars in overpayment waivers and other relief to all individuals with SSI overpayments incurred between March 2020 and April 2023. The second class action,Amin v. Kijakazi, resulted in a settlement aiming to improve SSA's timely processing of SSI non-disability appeals and protect claimants from undue disruption in SSI benefits. While the suit was brought by plaintiffs in New York, the relief provided under the settlement is national.
This is the most recent accolade for Boston, who has been consistently recognized over her career for her commitment to pro bono work, as well as for her dedication to diversity and inclusion. Boston'scommitmentto improving the New York State justice system was recognized by The Fund for Modern Courts, she was named "Outstanding Minority Partner" by theNational Bar Association's Women Lawyers Division, a "Diversity & Social Justice Champion" by Legal Outreach, and received theHarold Baer Jr. Award from the Network for Bar Leaders.
A partner in the firm's Product Liability practice, Boston represents clients from initiation of the case through trial and/or settlement. In May 2020, Boston became the first woman of colorinstalled as presidentof the 150-year-old New York City Bar Association.
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