A Celebration of Public Service: The James E. Duggan & Bruce E. Friedman Reception
Join us on November 5 as we present the 2nd Annual Professor James E. Duggan Scholarship, the Bruce E Friedman Scholarship and the 14th Annual Bruce E. Friedman Pro Bono Award.
To honor Professor Duggan’s memory, and in keeping with its long-standing commitment to public service, the UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law has established the Professor James E. Duggan Scholarship Fund, providing financial aid to 3Ls planning careers as public defenders. The Friedman Scholarship fund has been established for many years and continues to help aspiring public interest lawyers.
The Annual Bruce E. Friedman Pro Bono Award honors a University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law graduate and member of the New Hampshire Bar who exemplifies Bruce Friedman’s commitment to representing the indigent through exemplary pro bono service. The Bruce E. Friedman Pro Bono Award is sponsored by The Warren B. Rudman Center for Justice, Leadership & Public Service and 603 Legal Aid.
This year’s recipient of the Bruce E. Friedman Pro Bono Award is Kayla Turner, Staff Attorney at the Disability Rights Center of New Hampshire.
The Duggan Scholarship recipient and the Friedman Scholarship recipient will be announced and recognized during the reception.
When: Nov. 5, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Where: UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law, IP Atrium, 2 White Street, Concord, N.H.
This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Register here by Nov. 4.
The Annual Bruce E. Friedman Pro Bono Award honors a University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law graduate and member of the New Hampshire bar who exemplifies Bruce Friedman’s commitment to representing the indigent through exemplary pro bono service. The Bruce E. Friedman Pro Bono Award is sponsored by The Warren B. Rudman Center for Justice, Leadership & Public Service and 603 Legal Aid.
Kayla Turner
Attorney Kayla Turner
603 Legal Aid is honored to have Kayla Turner as this year’s 2026 Bruce Friedman award winner as she represents all of those qualities that made Bruce Friedman special in the NH Legal community. Attorney Turner is a staff attorney in the ligation department at Disability Rights Center - NH (DRC) where she represents individuals with disabilities in a variety of civil legal matters, including special education, assistive technology, and accommodations. Attorney Turner has also been taking domestic violence and stalking cases on behalf of 603 Legal Aid since 2021. She has helped over a dozen victims of stalking and domestic violence get the protective orders they need to feel safe and provide legal protection to victims of domestic violence. Attorney Turner is a staunch advocate for the disadvantaged and vulnerable. She has dedicated both her regular practice with DRC and her volunteerism to helping those most in need of assistance. Attorney Turner demonstrates advocacy, compassion, and empathy for those in difficult situations. She is a powerful advocate for survivors of stalking and domestic violence. She graduated from Colby College with honors in sociology. She received her J.D. from the University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law where she was a Daniel Webster Scholar and recipient of a Presidential Scholarship
Bruce E. Friedman
Bruce E. Friedman
Professor Friedman was the Director of the law school's Civil Practice Clinic and taught Civil Procedure for many years. A former staff attorney at New Hampshire Legal Assistance, he was known for his passionate work on behalf of the disadvantaged and vulnerable and for taking on cases many deemed losing causes because he believed clients deserved an advocate for their day in Court. His work inspired countless law students to become volunteers through the Pro Bono Program. Among his many accomplishments, Bruce helped set up the Children’s Lobby, working with them to establish a health insurance program for low and moderate-income children. He helped community groups develop decent housing for low and moderate-income families. In the field of family law, he helped set up the first mediation program in New Hampshire. He helped spearhead a legislative initiative to require parents who are separating to attend child-impact seminars, and he brought a suit to ensure that the state had enough social workers to investigate allegations of child abuse or neglect in a timely fashion. He graduated from the University of Michigan and Harvard Law School.
James E. Duggan
James E. Duggan
Professor James Duggan opened a public defender’s office in Manchester in the mid-1970s, leading that program for several years and shaping its expansion. He began teaching at what was then the Franklin Pierce Law Center in Concord in 1977 and founded the Appellate Defender Office to represent those appealing their convictions to the state's highest court. In addition to his teaching, Duggan served as Interim Dean at the law school. He also served on the State’s Supreme Court for 10 years before retiring in 2011. Duggan is remembered as a uniquely inspirational teacher, a dedicated judge, and a passionate defender of those accused of crimes. It is not hyperbole to say our Public Defender program is stamped with his devotion to justice.
