Over two decades ago, a small group of law firm partners came together with an idea and a will to make a difference. Little did they know that difference would change the lives of thousands of athletes across the state of Massachusetts.

Year after year, Robins Kaplan, LLP has hosted a golf tournament at the prestigious Myopia Hunt Club in Hamilton, Massachusetts. In the twenty-two years that the golf tournament has been held, over one-million dollars has been raised to benefit Special Olympics Massachusetts.  

Tony Froio, the managing partner of the Boston office at Robins Kaplan and one of the tournament founders, says it is a day the firm looks forward to every year.

“We’re bringing friends, clients, partners and staff together from across the country for one day, for one cause that not just some of us relate to, but all of us relate to,” Froio said.  

The idea of the tournament came about when Froio and partners John Love, Chris Sullivan and Mark LeConte were in another charity golf tournament at the beautiful Myopia Hunt Club and they thought to themselves, “why don’t we do something like this?”

The foursome sat down and talked about making a true difference in the community, and not just in the practice of law. When discussing where they felt they could achieve this overarching goal of giving back, they all gravitated towards Special Olympics Massachusetts because of how the organization personally touched their lives.

John Love’s daughter, Tina had been involved with Special Olympics MA for a very long time and after seeing the impact the organization had on her life, the group knew that this would be the perfect way to make a difference in the community.

“The exercise she got, the skills that she learned, the confidence that she gained and the friends, the friends mostly, that she made are still her great friends today,” Love said on what Special Olympics has done for his daughter.

In 2012 the firm was inducted into the Special Olympics Massachusetts Hall of Fame, which Froio says brought them more pride than any other award they have ever received.

While it started as a fun tournament to raise money for a good cause, the partnership with Special Olympics has grown and become so much more than just a golf tournament to raise funds.  

“Sure it’s about having fun on the golf course for one day, but it’s so much more than that, Froio said. “It’s giving back in a meaningful fashion where it’s truly making a difference. We have found our partner and we intend to continue to do this for as long as we can.”

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