Abigail Hinchman ’25 is the recipient of the 2025 Kristin P. Muniz Memorial Award. She is recognized for her unwavering commitment to justice, deep sense of compassion, and exemplary client representation.
The annual Kristin P. Muniz Memorial Award honors the memory of former Harvard Law School Criminal Justice Institute (CJI) senior clinical instructor Kristin P. Muniz, whose passing in 2020 deeply affected the CJI community, her students, and clinical program colleagues. During her decade-long tenure at CJI, Muniz distinguished herself as a passionate criminal defense attorney, cherished instructor, and dedicated trial team coach. This recognition is bestowed upon a graduating CJI student who embodies Muniz’s commitment to client-centered representation and demonstrates a focus on core values she championed: racial justice and equality, human dignity, fairness, and compassion.
“I am so honored to receive the Kristen Muniz Memorial Award,” Hinchman said. “Although I never had the opportunity to meet Ms. Muniz, I am humbled to receive an award memorializing such a dedicated, passionate, and client-centered attorney. Representing clients with Harvard Defenders and the Criminal Justice Institute has been the greatest privilege of my law school career. Whether by telling me about their experiences, allowing me to advocate for them in court, or simply showing me photos of their children, my clients placed an immense amount of trust in me. This is a responsibility and honor I will never take for granted.”
Hinchman’s dedication to serving clients in need has been evident across her law school pro bono experiences. She has been a member of Harvard Defenders and the Capital Punishment Clinic in addition to CJI, and she spent consecutive summers working at the Office of the Colorado State Public Defender.
As a student attorney in CJI this year, Hinchman brought her advocacy skills to bear as she took on a new caseload — the largest caseload in the clinic — of juvenile and adult indigent clients involved in the Massachusetts courts system. She had the opportunity to represent clients in Roxbury, Dorchester, Natick, Dedham, and Quincy District Courts, handling matters ranging from simple assault to firearm charges.
“Her resilience, tenacity, and compassion for her clients highlighted the best practices expected of those who advocate for marginalized demographics,” says CJI faculty director, clinical professor of law Dehlia Umunna. “Abigail consistently went above and beyond what was required, making early and late-night visits to the jail to update clients on strategy, persistent trips to Boston neighborhoods to investigate cases, and filing novel motions to persuade judges to reconsider her client’s conditions of release. Judges often cited her persistent advocacy as the basis for their rulings.”
While criminal defense can present many challenging and heartbreaking moments, Hinchman also recalls the moments of joy in fighting on someone’s behalf. In one case, Hinchman represented a client in Dedham District Court whose probation was revoked. Despite the case being called an uphill battle by many, Hinchman spent countless hours investigating, researching, and meeting with the client’s probation officer to provide him with alternatives to incarceration for the client.
“The stakes were high; she was facing up to six months in jail,” said Hinchman. “Thankfully, we were able to successfully argue for her release. I will never forget the feeling of watching my client walk out of custody and hug her mother.”
“Whether by telling me about their experiences, allowing me to advocate for them in court, or simply showing me photos of their children, my clients placed an immense amount of trust in me. This is a responsibility and honor I will never take for granted.”
“The judge indicated they were impressed by Abigail’s persuasive and outstanding oral and written advocacy,” recalled Umunna. “After reprobating the client, the client looked at me and stated, ‘Abbi saved my life! She has given me and my daughter another chance.’”
In Harvard Defenders, a volunteer student practice organization dedicated to representing low-income Massachusettsans in criminal show-cause hearings, Hinchman served as executive director this year. She used this role to bridge Defenders and CJI, facilitating referrals from Defenders to CJI when clients had criminal complaints issued at their show-cause hearings.
“Abigail has developed a reputation among her peers as kind, and generous with her time and talent,” says Umunna. “Her unassuming, compassionate, warm nature and incredible talent represent everything Kristin Muniz stood for. Abigail’s kindness and empathy towards her clients and peers, her ability to connect with them on a personal level and understand their needs, are genuinely touching.”
After graduation, Hinchman will begin work as a trial attorney for Brooklyn Defender Services, where she will continue to build on the foundation of client-centered advocacy she laid in law school. “I am very grateful for the mentorship and guidance of John Salsberg and Professor Dehlia Umunna,” she said. “I hope to channel their tenacity, wisdom, and fierce empathy for their clients in my own career. I am also very grateful for the friendship and support of my CJI and Defenders peers.”
“I hope to incorporate the lessons I learned at Harvard Defenders and CJI — to build good working relationships, to lean on your team, and to bring two more copies of exhibits than you think you need — into my future career as a public defender.”
View full coverage from the festivities of the 2025 Class Day and Commencement Ceremonies at Harvard Law School
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