Bernstein Shur Attorney Honored by ME Justice Foundation

Portland and Augusta, ME and Manchester, NH (May 1, 2019) – Bernstein Shur, a leading New England based law firm, announced today attorney Ari Solotoff received the ME Justice Foundation’s New Lawyer Award for exemplifying the foundation’s mission to ensure that all ME people have access to the justice system.

Established by the ME Justice Foundation in 2010, the New Lawyer Award recognizes lawyers who have been in practice for fewer than ten years, exemplify the ideals of increasing access to justice, make outstanding and recognized pro bono services or other contributions to the legal profession and public good, and demonstrate a strong commitment to the purposes of the Foundation. It has been informally called the “Arnie Award” after Bernstein Shur’s own Arnie MacDonald, a former Foundation Board member and champion of access to justice.

Solotoff’s volunteer efforts in the access to justice community began in law school and as a judicial intern with Justice Jon D. Levy of the ME Supreme Judicial Court. While a law student at the University of Maine School of Law, Solotoff served as a student intern to ME’s Access to Justice Coordinator and as a member of the In-House Counsel Steering Committee of the ME Justice Foundation. As a law student, Solotoff also coordinated the statewide efforts behind the Lawyers in Libraries Program in recognition of Law Day 2015 and 2016.

After earning his J.D., Solotoff served as a member of the Strategic Planning Committee of Pine Tree Legal Assistance, and led the efforts to help spin-off ME’s only pro bono legal aid organization, the ME Volunteer Lawyers Project, as a stand-alone nonprofit and tax-exempt organization. Most recently, Solotoff has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the ME Justice Foundation, where he chaired the Governance Committee.

Solotoff earned his J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Maine School of Law, where he was Managing Editor of the ME Law Review. Solotoff focuses his practice on entertainment law, serving clients in the arts, entertainment, and nonprofit sectors, with an emphasis on copyright law and music licensing. Solotoff is currently Chair of the Theater and Performing Arts Division of the American Bar Association’s Entertainment and Sports Law Forum.

Prior to studying law, Solotoff worked for over a decade in executive leadership positions in the classical music industy, where he served as Executive Vice President of The Philadelphia Orchestra, and before that, Executive Director of the Portland, ME and Pensacola, Florida symphony orchestras.

The ME Justice Foundation was founded in 1983 as the ME Bar Foundation. The Foundation provides important funds to multiple civil legal aid programs throughout ME and the more than 30,000 clients they serve each year. The Foundation has nearly $6 million in assets under management and made grants of $1.5 million in 2017.

About Bernstein Shur
Founded in 1915, Bernstein Shur is a leading New England-based law firm advising clients across the U.S. and around the world. Our 110+ award-winning attorneys and professionals provide practical and innovative counsel, and practice in more than 20 key areas across a variety of industries. Bernstein Shur is known for simplifying complex issues and winning through steadfast persistence. The firm is ME’s exclusive member of Lex Mundi, the world’s leading network of independent law firms. Find out more at www.bernsteinshur.com.

###