Established 28 years ago by Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, Sanctuary for Families, and Columbia Law School, the Abely Awards honor individuals who have made a difference in the lives of survivors of gender violence and who embody Maryellen Abely’s compassion, zeal, energy, and dedication.

This year, we are thrilled to present the 2025 Abely Pro Bono Award to Garrard R. Beeney.

INTRODUCING GARRARD

Garrard R. Beeney is co-head of the Intellectual Property and Technology Group at Sullivan & Cromwell. He has argued cases nationwide, including twice before the United States Supreme Court, and is widely recognized as a leading trial lawyer. Publications such as The American Lawyer, Forbes, The Legal 500, and Benchmark Litigation have praised him as “a master strategist” and “one of the best trial lawyers in the world.”

Mr. Beeney has also demonstrated a deep commitment to public service. He served for over a decade as deputy mayor of Irvington, New York, chaired the board of Mercado Global, and currently serves on the boards of Sanctuary for Families and Graham Windham. His pro bono practice includes major victories advancing the rights of domestic violence survivors and LGBTQ+ individuals, as well as securing the restoration of voting rights for 60,000 African Americans in South Carolina.

Most notably, he led the effort to secure a resentencing under the Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act for Nikki Addimando, a survivor who was serving a 19-year-to-life sentence for defending her life against a gun-wielding, severely abusive intimate partner. The case, involving over 4,000 hours of legal work, resulted in her release in January 2024. He continues to advocate on critical issues including reproductive rights, trans healthcare access, and legal protections for survivors of rape, abuse, and cyberstalking.