Christina Holder and Markiana J. Julceus Shortlisted for New Jersey Legal Awards 2026 Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year

Law.com's New Jersey Legal Awards has named Christina Holder and Markiana J. Julceus as finalists for 2026 Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year, recognizing their dedication and commitment to the public interest. The award recognizes a lawyer who has had inspiring success on a 2025 pro bono case or who dedicated a notable amount of their time in 2025 to pro bono work to achieve meaningful results.

Holder is senior public interest counsel at Lowenstein Sandler and a longtime advocate for access to justice. Nominated by Volunteer Lawyers for Justice for her life planning work with veterans and seniors, Holder has dedicated hundreds of pro bono hours to helping clients protect their wishes and care for their loved ones through wills, powers of attorney, and other essential planning documents. Her work reflects a deep commitment to ensuring that vulnerable individuals can access high-quality legal services when they need them most.

Julceus is counsel in the White Collar Defense practice at Lowenstein Sandler. Nominated by the firm for her pro bono contributions involving immigration and civil rights matters, Julceus has used her advocacy skills to assist vulnerable populations in matters where her involvement often has a lifesaving impact. Throughout 2025, she helped file a federal lawsuits challenging an Executive Order requiring that transgender women in federal prisons be housed in men's facilities and a nationwide class action that helped protect roughly 200,000 vulnerable youth by halting the rescission of the Special Immigrant Juvenile Status Deferred Action Policy, and secured habeas relief for an eighteen-year-old in immigration detention, obtaining his release on a low bond. Her work consistently demonstrates that meaningful legal advocacy can restore dignity, safety, and freedom to those who need it most.

The New Jersey Legal Awards celebrate the trailblazers, innovators, and dedicated professionals who have made a lasting impact on the state's legal landscape. Winners of the 2026 New Jersey Legal Awards will be announced at an awards ceremony in Somerset, New Jersey on October 29, 2026.

About the Lowenstein Center for the Public Interest
From its founding, Lowenstein Sandler has been committed to advancing the public interest and serving communities in need. The Lowenstein Center for the Public Interest embodies this commitment, directing the firm's strong pro bono program and other forms of civic and philanthropic engagement. Through these efforts, the center addresses significant social problems and offers meaningful assistance to low-income and other marginalized people, along with the organizations that advocate for and support them. This work engages the full range of the firm's talents and reflects the core values that imbue all of the firm's efforts: to perform work of the highest quality in a manner that maximizes results for our clients and causes.

About Lowenstein Sandler LLP
Lowenstein Sandler LLP is a national law firm with over 400 lawyers based in New York, Palo Alto, Roseland, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and Wilmington. The firm represents leaders in virtually every sector of the global economy, with particular emphasis on investment funds, life sciences, and technology. Recognized for its entrepreneurial spirit and high standard of client service, the firm is committed to the interests of its clients, colleagues, and communities.