The BBA’s 17th Annual Beacon Awards on November 5 honored Payal Salsburg with the Voice of Change Award and introduced a fellowship in memory of Renee Inomata. Colleagues gathered to celebrate Salsburg’s work making the profession more welcoming and remember Inomata’s years of support for students finding their way into it.
The Boston Bar Foundation’s new Renee Inomata DEIB Fellowship will place a law student at Saheli, a BBF grantee also supported by the Asian Community Fund, where Inomata had long been involved. Former BBA President Hannah Kilson remembered Inomata as a thoughtful colleague who asked people to consider the consequences of their decisions. Students knew her from the DEIB Career Fair, where she returned to the Casner & Edwards table year after year to listen and offer advice. “She was everywhere, and everything she touched was improved by her involvement,” Kilson said.
Presenting Salsburg’s award, BBA President Mark C. Fleming shared a story about an attorney who was hesitant to seek a board position with the South Asian Bar Association of Greater Boston. Salsburg encouraged her to apply, helped with the submission, and checked that she sent it. The attorney later became co-president. Fleming also recognized Salsburg’s pro bono representation of people seeking asylum and her openness about seeking support during difficult periods in her own life.
In accepting the award, the Smith Kane partner recalled people who had taken chances on her before they knew where her career would lead. She spoke about joining the small firm she now helps run and about someone who made 45 minutes for her when she needed help. Thirty years later, she still remembered what that time had meant. Her remarks drew smiles and thunderous applause from the room.
Guests also had time to catch up with colleagues and step into the Beacon Awards photo booth, trying on costume hats and posing together. Event co-chairs Odette Martins of Day Pitney and Darshana Indira of Ruberto, Israel & Weiner helped organize the celebration, with support from sponsors, volunteers, and BBA staff.
Salsburg’s request to everyone that evening was simple: think of someone outside your usual circle who might need support, perhaps a junior lawyer who feels out of place or a colleague quietly considering leaving the profession. Helping could start with a phone call rather than a major commitment. She urged guests to find that person and reach out the next day: “Do not wait for your calendar to clear.”
