Boston partner Melanie Todman has been chosen as a member of the Boston Bar Association's (BBA) 2021 Public Interest Leadership Program Class (PILP). PILP is a 10-month program that promotes civic engagement and public service by advancing the leadership role of lawyers in service to their community, their profession, and the Commonwealth, according to BBA.

“This year's PILP class embodies the core of the BBA's values: diversity, leadership, excellence in the profession, and at its heart, a deep sense of service to the Boston legal community,” said BBA President Marty Murphy. “Every member of this year's class has demonstrated these core values in their careers and during their journeys to legal practice."

Todman's peers in the program include leaders from firms of varying sizes, legal services, in-house legal departments, and the government. As a member of the class, Todman will engage in intensive leadership and professional development training across key areas, including effective organizational leadership; diversity, equity, and inclusion; public service and pro bono engagement; and board service. Members of the class are trained by and connected with leaders in Boston's public and private sectors. PILP has a network of more than 200 alumni.

Todman focuses her practice on complex civil litigation, internal government investigations, and advising and representing government entities. Already actively serving her community, she is Chair of the Massachusetts Appleseed Board of Directors and is a City Awake Delegate for the Boston Chamber of Commerce. Her work with legal services began in law school when she assisted people experiencing various legal difficulties as a result of the 2008 Recession.