William A. McDaniel, Jr., Receives Maryland Distinguished Pro Bono Service Award

William Alden “Bill” McDaniel, Jr., senior counsel and former longtime partner at Ballard Spahr, has received the 2026 Distinguished Maryland Pro Bono Volunteer Award, presented by the Maryland Pro Bono Resource Center (PBRC) and the Maryland State Bar Association (MSBA).

The award recognizes Bill’s extraordinary service, during more than a decade at Ballard Spahr, in providing legal services at no cost to clients in need of representation, through Ballard Spahr’s venerated pro bono program. During that time, Bill has contributed more than 3,330 pro bono hours—an astounding number equal to 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for more than 20 weeks.

“Bill has served as a steadfast champion for justice,” Maryland PBRC and the MSBA said in announcing the award. “His decades-long commitment has made a profound, positive impact in Maryland. When individuals and organizations need pro bono services, Bill answers the call…These clients receive the benefit of Bill’s litigation, advocacy, and counseling skills, honed through high-profile, high-stakes cases over a long career.”

Bill’s legacy spans diverse practice areas, but he has made his biggest impact confronting injustices within the juvenile and criminal legal systems. He has challenged conditions of confinement, advocated against the adultification of youth in the juvenile justice system, taken extreme and unconstitutional sentences head-on, and represented clients whose criminal histories kept them from moving forward—and prevailed.

Additionally, Bill has represented young migrants and their families seeking humanitarian relief. In one representation spanning six years, Bill led a team of five lawyers and a paralegal, representing a woman who fled Honduras after years of abuse, rape, and imminent threat of death at the hands of her former partner.

A core aspect defining Bill’s legacy is his ongoing support of Baltimore nonprofits—from arts and cultural organizations to youth centers nurturing next generation community leaders—and the vitality and success of the city, its institutions, and its people.

The award was presented at the Maryland Pro Bono Service Awards event yesterday. Supreme Court of Maryland Chief Justice Matthew J. Fader will recognize Bill and fellow honorees during the MSBA Legal Summit in Ocean City on June 12, 2026.

Ballard Spahr’s longstanding commitment to pro bono legal services and community impact has been nationally recognized with numerous awards. The firm’s attorneys contribute more than 50,000 hours annually to pro bono service, ensuring that clients have a voice and a legal advocate regardless of their ability to pay. They partner with agencies throughout the country to provide free legal services to meet the most pressing needs of our communities.