The American Bar Association (ABA) Commission on Women in the Profession presented Arnold & Porter partner Sheila S. Boston with its 2026 Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award on August 2, at the ABA Annual Meeting in Chicago.
The Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award recognizes women lawyers "who have achieved professional excellence in their area of specialty and have actively paved the way to success for others." Each year, the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession presents the award to up to five women lawyers who have achieved professional excellence and paved the way for other women in the legal profession.
The ABA commended Sheila as "a seasoned trial lawyer and litigation strategist who defends clients from the initiation of a case through trial and resolution." The organization also noted she is active in bar associations and currently serves as vice president of the Federal Bar Council. She previously served as president of the New York City Bar Association, for which she was the first woman of color to hold the role.
Established in 1991, the Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award is named for Margaret Brent, the first woman lawyer in America. Past honorees include U.S. Supreme Court justices, legislators, scholars, civil rights activists, and corporate lawyers. Winners are selected based on "their professional accomplishments and their role in opening doors of opportunity for other women lawyers."
The honor follows a series of recent recognitions for Sheila, who earlier this year was named to Forbes' inaugural America's Top Women Lawyers list and Crain's New York Business's 'Notable Women in Law' List. Last year, the New York City Bar Association honored her with a historic portrait unveiling, and the National Bar Association recognized her as one of its Centennial Lawyers of Distinction.