On Wednesday, July 22, Powers Pyles Sutter & Verville PC attended the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) 2026 ADA Anniversary Celebration, an annual event that brings together disability leaders, advocates, partners, elected officials, and supporters to celebrate the legacy of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and the movement that made it possible.
At the celebration, AAPD honored Congressman Steny H. Hoyer with the “Lifetime Ally award” for his longstanding leadership and partnership with the disability community. His work helped move the ADA forward through the House and has contributed to a stronger foundation for access, opportunity, independence, and full participation. Senator Tom Harkin, who championed the ADA in the Senate, and Tony Coelho, former Congressman, were also in attendance.
Powers has played an important role in the disability rights movement and the advancement of the ADA. Former Powers Principal Robert “Bobby” Silverstein was often referred to as the “behind-the-scenes architect” of more than twenty pieces of federal legislation impacting people with disabilities, including the ADA.
Following Bobby’s passing in November 2022, Powers partnered with AAPD and the Center for the Study and Advancement of Disability Policy (CSAPD) to establish the Bobby Silverstein Fellowship. The Fellowship is an annual summer program that supports emerging leaders with disabilities through mentorship, hands-on experience, and opportunities to engage in meaningful disability law and public policy work.
The Fellowship’s 2026 recipient, Hannah Jane Hodge, is completing her summer fellowship with the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law. A second-year law student at George Mason University Law School, Hannah Jane is committed to advocating alongside people with disabilities. Her experience includes interning with the Disability Rights Legal Center and serving on the Board of Directors of the Disability Resource Center of the New River Valley. She is the Fellowship’s second recipient, following inaugural Fellow Adriana DeMercurio in 2025.
To learn more about the Bobby Silverstein Fellowship, including eligibility and how to apply, visit: https://www.powerslaw.com/bobby-silverstein-fellowship/.
About Powers Disability and Rehabilitation Practice
For more than four decades, Powers has been a national leader in disability and rehabilitation law and public policy. Led by attorneys and professionals with extensive professional and personal experience in the disability community, Powers advises nonprofit organizations, healthcare providers, rehabilitation professionals, researchers, trade associations, and advocacy organizations who are working to improve the lives of people with disabilities. Through legislative advocacy, regulatory counsel, litigation, and public policy work, we help clients advance initiatives that expand access to healthcare and rehabilitation services, strengthen disability rights, promote assistive technology and independent living, and create greater opportunities for people with disabilities.
About Powers Law
Powers Pyles Sutter & Verville (“Powers”) is a Washington, DC-based law firm with national practices in healthcare, education, government relations, Indian tribal governments, and nonprofit law. Powers attorneys and professionals are nationally known for their extensive expertise in their practice areas and their commitment to client service. For more information, visit www.PowersLaw.com.
Congressman Steny H. Hoyer and Peter Thomas, Powers Managing Partner
Lynne Silverstein, Center for the Study and Advancement of Disability Policy and Bobby Silverstein’s wife, sat with Peter Thomas, Powers Managing Partner.
