Ballard Spahr, Three Attorneys Receive Arizona Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired's Highest Honor

Ballard Spahr and three of its attorneys have received the Arizona Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired’s (ACBVI) Helen Keller Award, its highest honor, in recognition of their pro bono work on behalf of the nonprofit.

“Ballard Spahr, and more specifically these three attorneys, have gone above and beyond to help us achieve our mission of helping others who are often at the lowest point in their lives,” said ACBVI Executive Director Steve Tepper. “We could not accomplish half as much without support from our community, and we are deeply grateful for their unwavering commitment to the people we serve.”

The Ballard Spahr attorneys who received this year’s Helen Keller Award are:

• Ballard Spahr Phoenix Office Managing Partner David J. Armstrong, an ACBVI board member for four years and longtime pro bono counsel
• Affordable Housing and Community Development Partner Molly R. Bryson, who advised ACBVI on a Low Income Housing Tax Credit matter
• Labor and Employment Counsel Melissa R. Costello, who has provided ACBVI with pro bono employment law counsel

Firm-wide, Ballard Spahr attorneys contribute more than 50,000 hours of pro bono service annually, ensuring that clients have a voice and a legal advocate regardless of their ability to pay. In September, the firm was named the ACLU's 2026 National Pro Bono Law Firm of the Year.

Since 1947, ACBVI has worked to facilitate the independence of people who are experiencing vision loss and encourage their full participation in all spheres of life. Learn more about the organization on its website.