Nate Mendell Honored for Excellence in Pro Bono by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly

Boston partner Nathaniel Mendell has been recognized by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly as a 2025 Excellence in the Law honoree for his commitment to a vast docket of pro bono work across a range of different subjects, including criminal justice, women’s rights, environmental preservation, and immigration and citizenship status.

Nate, a partner in the Investigations + White Collar Defense and Privacy + Data Security Practice Groups, formerly served as acting U.S. attorney for the District of Massachusetts.

Nate’s pro bono efforts included working with the New England Innocence Project on its efforts to clear the name of a woman wrongfully convicted of manslaughter in the death of her 21-month-old daughter; representing an immigrant from Peru victimized by a fraudster, advising a Canadian nonprofit on minimizing its legal risks in offering access to abortion medication globally; and providing strategic advice and negotiation support to the American Chestnut Foundation, which is focused on the restoration of the chestnut tree to its native region. Notably, Nate used his Spanish-speaking skills to get swift restitution for an immigrant from Peru who had been defrauded out of $10,000 by a worker at her mental health treatment clinic. After a single hearing and some negotiation, Nate’s client walked out of court with just what she wanted: a check for the full amount owed to her (and a smile).

Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly will celebrate this year’s honorees at its Excellence in the Law awards dinner on March 18.