ABA To Honor Pamela McDevitt Posthumously With Award for Excellence in Law Practice Management

The American Bar Association’s Law Practice Division is honoring the New York State Bar Association’s late executive director Pamela McDevitt with its Samuel S. Smith Award.

The award recognizes a lifetime of exceptional contributions to the advancement of law practice management. It is the division’s highest honor and will be presented posthumously during the ABA Law Practice Division Fall Meeting in Boston on Oct. 8.

“McDevitt’s career exemplified the award’s purpose: innovation, leadership and unwavering dedication to strengthening the legal profession,” according to the ABA press release. “McDevitt’s professional journey reflected a rare combination of strategic vision, operational excellence and deep commitment to the legal community.”

A former Army Judge Advocate General Corps lawyer, McDevitt began her civilian legal career practicing law in Schenectady, before moving into bar leadership roles that would define her national impact. She joined the ABA in 2010 after a four-year tenure as the director of law practice management at NYSBA. McDevitt rose to lead the ABA Law Practice Division as director until 2017 when she left Chicago to return to the capital region to lead the New York State Bar Association as executive director.

McDevitt guided NYSBA through a period of significant change including making technological advances in online CLE coursework, expanding attorney well-being services and broadening the association’s global reach. Her vision led to the  groundbreaking subscription based membership model, which began at NYSBA in 2025.