Woman of the Year

Allison Cartwright ’92 was named Woman of the Year during a celebration by the Women’s Law Center at BC Law on March 27. The award is a tradition that had been on pause since Covid-19 until being revived this academic year under the leadership of current co-presidents Jayna Robotham ’26 and Nicole Veru ’26.

Among the accomplishments recognized by the award was Cartwright’s new role as Clerk of the Suffolk County Supreme Judicial Court. She is the second woman and first Black person to hold this position since the court’s establishment, then known as Superior Court of Judicature, in 1692.

“I have never been afraid to roll up my sleeves and do the work that’s required of whatever position it is I’m seeking and what I’m doing,” said Cartwright ’92. “So, to the women in this audience and to the men who are allies, thank you. I say, do not be discouraged. Don’t take no for an answer. If you think that you can do it. You go for it.”

BC Law Dean Odette Lienau opened the ceremony by acknowledging the role of the Women’s Law Center in supporting women in the legal profession.

“Women in law help to challenge outdated norms, maintain the norms that are worth maintaining, advocate for equality, serve as powerful role models for the generations coming up behind them, and for their peers as they all fight together,” Lienau said. “But many challenges remain, despite the long history of fighting. There is much fight ahead.”

Carole LoConte Tedesco ’92 introduced Cartwright. The two were in the same section at BC Law, and met on the first day of classes. Tedesco spoke about Cartwright’s accomplishments in school, including acting as chapter president of the Black Law Students Association at BC Law and serving as the northeast sub-regional chair of the association.

“Allison approached law school and life with an unmatched kindness, generosity and spirit, inclusivity and sense of humor,” Tedesco said. “It is a joy to know her. She has a way of breaking the tension of even the most difficult times with her gentle smile and a witty remark.”

After law school, Cartwright worked as a public defender with the Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS) before opening her own law office where she continued to practice criminal defense, Tedesco said. In 2019, Cartwright became the attorney-in-charge of the Roxbury unit of CPCS and in 2021 became managing director of the central region.

In 2024, Cartwright entered the race for clerk of the SJC and received endorsements from public figures such as Mayor Michelle Wu and Attorney General Andrea Campbell. Though her opponent in the primary had a $16,000 head start, Cartwright—with the help of her village—managed to win the primary and run uncontested for the position.

“It’s a moment like no other, watching all of these women come together, to say ‘we support you,’” Cartwright said. “Women, when we band together, we are a powerful force, and right now, we are needed more than ever to exert our power.”