Brandon Hastings Receives Cornell Law School Pro Bono Exemplary Public Service Award

Northpoint Legal LLP is pleased to share that partner Brandon Hastings has received the Pro Bono Exemplary Public Service Award from Cornell Law School.

The award recognizes members of the Cornell Law community whose work reflects a sustained commitment to public service and to improving access to justice.

Brandon accepted the award in New York at an event hosted at the New York City Bar Association, alongside several other honorees recognized for their contributions to the profession and to the public good.

In his remarks, Brandon reflected on the meaning of pro bono publico—for the public good—and how the concept extends beyond a category of work to a broader form of professional engagement: Pro bono is not only a category of work, it’s a way of being involved in our profession — a profession that is primarily responsible for mediating the relationship between power and ordinary life.

Brandon’s public service efforts have included work within the legal profession and the broader justice community. He co-founded Vancouver Legal Hackers and later launched The Justice Hack, a not-for-profit access-to-justice hackathon that brings together lawyers, technologists, designers, and community advocates to develop solutions to legal system challenges.

Through these initiatives and his involvement in bar association committees, publications, and community organizations, Brandon has focused on reducing friction in legal processes and helping make legal systems more accessible to the public.

Reflecting on the recognition, Brandon emphasized the importance of professional involvement in improving the justice system: Lawyers have unusual access to societal structures that most people will never directly navigate on their own. That privilege carries responsibility.

Northpoint Legal LLP congratulates Brandon on this recognition and is proud to support lawyers who contribute to strengthening the profession and expanding access to justice.