On Tuesday, January 24, 2023, at the Golden Gavel Awards, James “Jim” Sokolove was recognized for his dedication to providing equal access to legal services with the Trial Lawyer Advertising Hall of Fame Award.
Launched in 2019, the National Trial Lawyers A-List hosts the Golden Gavel Awards annually to honor the most successful law firms and legal leaders across the nation.
“I feel as though I'm in wonderful company,” said Jim. “Those that have gone before me have had to fight in the courts to do what they did to provide greater access to legal services. I did not have to fight in the courts, but I had to fight the stars of my day and legal services.”
Harlan Schillinger, board chairman of the A-List and fellow decades-long champion of legal services advertising, presented the award to Jim.
Paving the Way in Legal Television Advertising
Since founding Sokolove Law in 1979 in Boston, Massachusetts, Jim has ensured the firm reaches the people most in need — regardless of their race or ethnicity, education level, or socioeconomic status. For more than 45 years, Sokolove Law has advocated for those suffering to help them get the justice they deserve.
Early on, Jim saw that the people who often needed legal services the most did not know that legal options were available to them. So he began changing the world of legal advertising through television campaigns — an effort many in the field dismissed.
“I learned in retrospect that failure was my best friend,” reflected Jim. “Because failure forced me and allowed me to open doors and think about doing things that I would never have thought about doing.”
Jim became widely recognized as “the mesothelioma guy” after his television advertisements explained the options available to those diagnosed with mesothelioma caused by asbestos. Sokolove Law quickly grew, with Jim partnering with other law firms to meet demand and expand the cases covered.
A Culture of Advocacy Continues
Jim Sokolove continues to be an advocate for change in the industry. From bar recertification tests to courses in high school explaining legal needs, services, and processes, he believes each of these advancements in continuing legal education is critical to ensure people have access to the best representation.
Thanks to his tremendous leadership, Sokolove Law has become an established law firm in not only the Massachusetts and New England area but also across the nation. The firm’s skilled lawyers have proven success in a wide range of cases.
Jim Sokolove is honored that what he started 45 years ago continues to advocate for victims of mesothelioma, Camp Lejeune water contamination, birth injuries, nursing home abuse, and more — for years to come.
