Congratulations to our founder and chairman, Charles W. Bone, for receiving the Social Justice Pioneer award at the 2021 Nashville ATHENA Awards.
Charles has been an advocate for social justice issues for nearly five decades. Since founding Bone McAllester Norton in 2002, he and other Bone McAllester Norton leaders have worked to develop the firm as one of the most diverse in the state.
In one of the most high-profile pro bono cases in recent history, Charles led Cyntoia Brown Long’s legal team in an effort to overturn her 2006 conviction and 51-year sentence in prison. Following years of state and federal court hearings, before the Board of Parole, and a petition for clemency granted by Gov. Bill Haslam on Jan. 7, 2019, Cyntoia was released from prison on Aug. 7, 2019.
ATHENA chair Tameka Winston presented the award to Charles, noting that, “Every single day over the last 45 years, Charles has stood on the front lines of the war for social justice. He has an uncanny way to know and understand when someone needs assistance whether that person has reached out to him or not. His encouraging words, most famous a resounding ‘Great! Great! Great!’, have uplifted more individuals than anyone really knows.”
The attorneys and staff members at Bone McAllester Norton are proud to stand alongside Charles as advocates for social justice within our community.
Watch Charles’ acceptance speech here. https://vimeo.com/571842378/496bcc6418
