New to the NYLJ Professional Excellence Award categories this year are the Innovation Awards, recognizing creative and inspiring approaches. We honor forward-thinking firms and individuals for developing unique practice niches, employing creative uses of technology, contributing to the improvement of their institutions or committing themselves to pro bono, charitable and professional volunteer work.

"From the firm's perspective, the use of AI in law is not about replacing attorney analysis and judgment, but about empowering lawyers to conduct their analysis more accurately and effectively."

"There's a collective spirit of innovation across the firm, and it shows."

"Within two hours of asking for help to create and launch our Coronavirus (COVID-19) Relief Center, we had 400 volunteers. We launched the project in just 10 days."

"Proskauer Prep is our attempt to marry the intellect, talent and drive to succeed that young women bring to the table with a level of preparation, exposure-to and knowledge about the legal profession, resources, and opportunities they may not have otherwise."

"Digital currency is inherently novel, and as with any disruptive technology or new asset class, it came with unique and uncharted legal questions."

Judge Andra Ackerman, Albany County Court

"I started U-CAN shortly after taking office as a Cohoes City Court judge because I related to traumatized, abandoned, directionless youth, and I knew that with the right guidance and support from a mentor, and my own brand of tough-love justice, they could begin to reach their potential."

"We are gratified that the novel document generator we collaborated on with our client ConsenSys has been positively received, and a large number of entrepreneurs and startups are using the tool to efficiently raise capital and push forward with their innovations."

"I am most proud of the shift in attitude now prevalent among judges, court staff and the bar. No longer is it simply accepted that settlement or mediation won't be explored until after years of discovery."

"Having a great idea is not enough—execution is critical. For most lawyers, this involves leaving your comfort zone, which is an exercise in perserverance and humility."

"It's so awe-inspiring to have something that starts out as a seedling of an idea and then germinates into something real and tangible."

"Keep going. My biggest breakthroughs have come when I have promised myself I would abandon course after 100 fix attempts and then tried one more time, and to do this almost to the point of obsession."

"When I commenced my representation of Dr. Rodchenkov, I never could have imagined that his mission to expose the truth about Russia's endemic corruption would metamorphosize into a global movement that would mobilize our own lawmakers to act."