Michael P. Judge

Judge has worked hard this year to keep lower-paying legal public service a possibility for green attorneys without a lot of green in their pockets. He was instrumental in the passage of the 2008 federal College Cost Reduction and Access Act, which relaxes repayment of student loans and forgives the unpaid balance after a decade of public practice. He's also well known for promoting diversity within the public defender's office. Let's just hope - for the sake of name clarity - he doesn't get elevated to the title of judge anytime soon.