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Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York Announces 2026 Justice For All Award Honorees

The Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York (LASNNY) announced the recipients of its 2026 Justice for All Awards, recognizing individuals, law firms, and community partners whose leadership, service, and commitment have strengthened access to justice throughout northeastern New York.

Honorees will be recognized during the Justice for All Annual Awards Celebration on Wednesday, Oct. 7, from 6 to 9 p.m. at The Edison Downtown in Schenectady. The evening will celebrate the partnerships and shared commitment that help expand access to free civil legal services across the organization’s 16-county service area.

Guided by this year’s theme, Rooted in Justice, the celebration recognizes the people and partnerships that help build stronger communities by ensuring more individuals and families can access the legal help they need. Working alongside partners throughout the region, LASNNY seeks to remove barriers to justice and create lasting change across a service area that comprises nearly a third of New York State.

This year’s keynote speaker is Taína Asili, an acclaimed singer-songwriter, educator, filmmaker, and community organizer whose work explores themes of social justice, cultural resilience, and community empowerment. Through music, storytelling, and advocacy, Asili has become a nationally recognized voice for building stronger, more connected communities, making her an especially fitting keynote speaker for this year’s celebration.

“Justice is never the work of one person or one organization,” said Nic Rangel, Esq., executive director of the Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York. “Every day, our staff, volunteer attorneys, community partners, supporters, and advocates help ensure that more people can access the legal assistance they need to build safer, more stable lives. The Justice for All Awards celebrate those partnerships and what we can accomplish when we collaborate for the shared goal of a more just future.”

The 2026 Justice for All Awards will recognize the following outstanding individuals and organizations:

The Ruth M. Miner Leadership Award honors LASNNY’s first staff attorney and executive director and recognizes an exceptional leader whose work has helped inspire and strengthen the next generation of advocates. This year’s recipient is Natasha Pernicka, chief executive officer of The Food Pantries for the Capital District. Pernicka is being honored for her longstanding leadership in addressing food security and helping weave together the network of community organizations working to ensure that individuals and families throughout the region can access the resources they need to thrive.

Pernicka has over 24 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, with expertise spanning hunger relief, food and nutrition security, housing and homelessness, mental health, and youth and older adult services. Since joining The Food Pantries for the Capital District in 2011, she has helped significantly expand the organization’s resources and impact, supporting a network of 74 food pantries that provided 5.4 million meals to 114,982 people in 2025 alone. Her leadership has also helped launch statewide initiatives including the New

York State Food as Medicine Coalition and The Alliance for a Hunger Free New York. Pernicka holds a bachelor’s degree from Colorado State University and a master’s degree in public administration from Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy.

The William E. (Bill) Byron Equal Justice Award recognizes an individual whose leadership and longstanding commitment have advanced access to justice for low-income and vulnerable individuals in New York State. This year’s award will be presented to Adam Wilson of Sand River Community Farm. Wilson is being honored for creating a model of community care that treats access to food as a matter of dignity, reflecting LASNNY’s belief that access to the resources people need to live safe and stable lives should not depend on their ability to pay.

At Sand River Community Farm in Keeseville, Wilson has built a community centered on what he calls “radical neighboring,” using food to strengthen relationships and foster a culture of generosity and mutual care. Nothing produced at the farm is sold or bartered. Instead, food is shared as a gift with neighbors through direct distribution, community meals, and other local partnerships. Wilson’s work reflects the belief that access to something as fundamental as nourishing food should not depend on an individual’s ability to pay. Through Sand River, he has created a model of community care rooted in dignity, connection, and the idea that neighbors can sustain one another. The Community Partner Award recognizes a nonprofit organization, business, or individual outside the legal profession whose partnership and commitment have helped expand access to civil legal services throughout northeastern New York. This year’s recipient is Honest Weight Food Co-Op. Honest Weight is being recognized for its commitment to strengthening the Capital Region community, including its support of LASNNY and its longstanding work to expand access to healthy, affordable food and nutrition education.

Founded in 1976 as a small bulk-buying club, Honest Weight has grown into a member-owned and operated consumer cooperative serving the Capital Region. The Co-Op is committed to providing affordable, high-quality natural foods and products while promoting participatory, sustainable ways of doing business. Its community-focused mission extends beyond its Albany store through educational and outreach programs that help children and adults learn about nutrition, food preparation, and sustainable living.

The Justice for All Awards recognize exceptional commitment to LASNNY’s mission through pro bono service, volunteerism, mentorship, advocacy, technical assistance, legal education, and philanthropic support.

The Justice for All Firm Award will be presented to Hodgson Russ LLP, represented by Christian J. Soller, Esq. Hodgson Russ is being recognized for its longstanding commitment to the legal community and its support of LASNNY’s mission to expand access to civil legal services throughout northeastern New York.

Founded over 200 years ago, Hodgson Russ is a full-service law firm with more than 230 attorneys serving individuals, businesses, governmental entities, and nonprofit organizations in the United States and Canada. With offices along the East Coast and in Toronto, the firm provides counsel across a wide range of practice areas and has a longstanding presence in New York’s legal community.

The Justice for All Individual Award will be presented to James E. Hacker, Esq., senior attorney at Hacker Murphy LLP and past president of LASNNY’s Board of Directors. Hacker is being honored for his longstanding leadership, advocacy, and continued support of LASNNY and civil legal services, including his past service as president of LASNNY’s Board of Directors.

A graduate of Hamilton College and Albany Law School, Hacker has built a distinguished career handling complex personal injury, medical malpractice, and commercial litigation, trying more than 100 cases to verdict throughout New York. He is a Fellow of both the American College of Trial Lawyers and the International College of Trial Lawyers. In addition to his past leadership of LASNNY’s Board of Directors, Hacker has served as president of the Albany County Bar Association, Albany County Bar Foundation, New York State Trial Lawyers Academy, and Capital District Trial Lawyers Association. He is also a member of the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals and has mediated and arbitrated more than 1,000 cases during the past 25 years.

The PAI Pro Bono Award recognizes extraordinary service to LASNNY’s Private Attorney Involvement (PAI) Program through volunteer representation, mentorship, legal education, and other meaningful contributions that expand access to justice. This year’s recipient is Richard S. Ernst, Esq.

After retiring from legal practice in 2021 following a career that included more than two decades with the New York State Attorney General’s Criminal Prosecutions Bureau, Ernst joined New York’s Attorney Emeritus Program and began volunteering with LASNNY in late 2022. Since then, he has hosted 45 pro se divorce clinics, helping nearly 200 clients navigate the divorce process, and represented 22 low-income tenants through LASNNY’s Attorney for the Day program. He has contributed more than 195 hours of pro bono service to LASNNY clients, while proactively learning new areas of law to help address unmet needs. Even after relocating downstate, Ernst has continued volunteering remotely and expanding his pro bono service. Sponsorship opportunities, including Honorary Committee sponsorships, remain available. To learn more about attending or supporting the Justice for All Annual Awards Celebration, visit www.lasnny.org or email [email protected].