The Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division has honored Elliott Greenleaf shareholder Colin J. O’Boyle — whose practice focuses on commercial litigation, healthcare litigation, and employment-related disputes — with its 2022 Michael K. Smith Award.

The PBA’s Young Lawyers Division is comprised of attorneys who have not reached their 40th birthday and attorneys who are 40 or older and have been practicing for 10 years or fewer.

The award is named in memory of a young lawyer who was committed to providing legal services for low-income people and offering law-related educational programs to students. It is presented annually to a PBA member who, through his or her exemplary personal and professional conduct, reminds lawyers of their professional and community responsibilities.

O’Boyle, who chaired the Young Lawyers Division from May 2020 to May 2021, was recognized for his many years of service in leadership. During his tenure, COVID-19 restrictions forced the YLD to cancel all traditional meetings and in-person events. O’Boyle thus helped the YLD transition to a virtual body, with monthly Zoom meetings, to continue to support young lawyers with both substantive content and mental health initiatives.

O’Boyle was also an active voice in the Board of Governors and House of Delegates by:

• advocating to resume Wills for Heroes, a program that provides free basic estate planning documents to first responders and military veterans, with its expanded scope to include healthcare workers
• promoting temporary legal status for 2020 law school graduates
• encouraging remote Bar Exams to ensure safe and lower-stress test-taking
• promoting volunteers to ensure voter access in the 2020 election

O’Boyle is particularly proud of the four-part speaker series he created to highlight successful, diverse judges and lawyers whose stories serve as both inspiration and aspiration for young lawyers.

A full-service law firm with an office in Blue Bell, Elliott Greenleaf’s attorneys are highly skilled at handling complex commercial legal matters of every sort. They enjoy a hard-earned reputation for representing clients with aggressive and effective litigation strategies, sound business counseling, and multi-faceted solutions that address the constantly evolving legal, economic, and business landscapes.

Learn more about Elliott Greenleaf.