Nominations are now open for Smokeball's Beacon Award. Every year, Smokeball recognizes legal professionals making a significant impact on their clients and communities through pro bono work, legal services, mentorship, and more.

Apply for the Beacon Award

To participate, legal professionals can nominate themselves or a colleague by June 30, 2025. To celebrate the work of our community heroes, two Beacon Award winners will each receive:  

• a $2,000 cash prize
• a $1,000 donation to the legal aid organization of their choosing
• an engraved Beacon Award statue  
• promotion on Smokeball’s website and social media  
• media kit to promote the achievement via your website and socials

Additionally, up to three finalists will be named and also receive an engraved Beacon Award statue and will be featured on Smokeball’s website and social media.

A judging panel of legal professionals and Smokeball staff will evaluate nominees based on how significantly the legal work impacts the community and pro bono clients; how big the work’s reach is; how well-documented the results are; and how compelling the story is.

Smokeball values community

Community drives us at Smokeball. Whether it’s creating an inclusive and vibrant workplace; supporting the legal community; or giving back to the networks we’re part of—community is central to Smokeball’s core values.

We know legal professionals are passionate about community, too. Every day we see you advocating—both inside and outside of the courtroom—for those who face inequality, discrimination, poverty, and who are otherwise struggling.  

Previous Beacon Award winners and finalists are real life superheroes who donate their valuable time to homeowners facing foreclosure, veterans seeking pro bono services, victims of labor trafficking, children in need of guardian ad litem services, and more.  

While we can only name two winners, every Beacon Award nomination represents inspiring and life-changing work. We thank all those who are beacons in their communities.