Time to
nominate noteworthy lawyers, firms
Yes, it’s
awards season again. And no, we don’t mean those awards given to
celebrities.
In an effort
to shine a light on those less visible folks who work – often for years and
decades – to perform legal services to those who need it the most, the State
Bar has given the President’s
Pro Bono and Loren
Miller awards every year and encourages members of the legal industry to
nominate one of their own.
Nominations
are open for these and other State Bar awards, and
this year, the nomination forms can be found and completed online.
Diversity and Education Pipeline Awards
Attorneys, law firms, bar associations and others who promote diversity and exemplary legal training can also be nominated for the Diversity and Education Pipeline Awards. Nomination forms and information about past winners are available on the State Bar website. For more information, contact Patricia Lee at 415-538-2240 or patricia.lee@calbar.ca.gov. Email or send completed forms by the March 31 deadline to:
Patricia Lee
State Bar of California
180 Howard St. 10th Floor
San Francisco CA 94105
The awards come from the Standing
Committee on the Delivery of Legal Services (SCDLS), a 20-member State Bar committee
whose aim is to promote legal services for poor and low-income people in California.
They’re given annually during the State Bar’s Annual Meeting,
scheduled this year in San Diego.
President’s
Pro Bono Service awards
Up to nine
Pro Bono Service awards are given to members of the bar, law firms,
organizations and law students who delivered exceptional pro bono work during
2015.
The
categories include individuals, law firms, corporate or government legal
departments, law schools and those who’ve performed distinguished pro bono
service. To be eligible, nominees must be California attorneys or belong to a
team of California lawyers.
You can nominate
law firms or the local offices of national and international law firms based in
California, associations of California lawyers, law schools accredited by the
American Bar Association or the State Bar or those studying law in California
(provided they did not receive compensation or academic credit for the work). You
can even nominate yourself.
Loren
Miller Legal Services Award
The Loren
Miller Legal Services Award honors those whose history of performing legal
services for the poor can span years, if not decades. Named after the late
Loren Miller, an African American lawyer and judge who was a leader in the
civil rights movement, the award’s past winners include legal aid advocate Chris A. Schneider of Fresno and UCLA Law professor Gary Blasi.
The deadline
for both awards is March 15. Nomination forms are online, but you can also
request copies of the forms from awards coordinator Saréya Shorter. Contact her
at sareya.shorter@calbar.ca.gov or 415-538-2141.