Art Read,
General Counsel of Friends of Farmworkers, was presented
with the 2007 Morris Dees Justice Award in New York on November
15, 2007.
The Morris Dees Justice Award was created in 2006 by the law
firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and The
University of Alabama School of Law to honor Dees, an Alabama
graduate, for his life-long devotion to public service. Dees is
the co-founder and chief trial counsel for the Southern Poverty
Law Center in Montgomery, Ala.
The award is given annually to a lawyer who has devoted his or
her career to serving the public interest and pursuing justice,
and whose work has brought about positive change in the
community, state or nation. Last year's winner was U.S. District
Judge William Wayne Justice, of the Eastern District of Texas.
The selection committee recognized Art Read for nearly 30 years
of tireless, courageous, and effective representation of
farmworkers and immigrants.
Read was nominated by more than 20 organizations and
individuals. As Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth Pedro
A. Cortés noted in his supporting letter, “It is fitting that he
be considered in the company of Morris Dees . . . . In a like
manner, Mr. Read has dedicated his career and life to providing
a voice for the disadvantaged and advocating on behalf of the
underprivileged.”
Morris Dees presented the award during a reception at Skadden’s offices in New York on November 15, 2007 in honor of
the winner. Alabama blues legend, Willie King, provided
entertainment.
Community Legal Services Honored with
ABA's Prestigious Hodson Award for Public Service
The American Bar Association’s
Government and Public Sector Lawyers Division has announced that
it will honor Community Legal Services (CLS) of Philadelphia
with the prestigious 2007 Hodson Award for Public Service.
Catherine C. Carr, Esq., Executive Director of Community Legal
Services, will accept the Award at the American Bar
Association’s Annual Meeting in San Francisco on Friday, August
10, 2007.
Jane Leslie Dalton, Esq., Chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar
Association, nominated Community Legal Services for the Hodson
Award in recognition of its outstanding service providing civil
(non-criminal) legal assistance to some 17,000 low-income
Philadelphians annually. Explaining the nomination, Dalton
wrote, “Extraordinary results are woven into the very fabric of
CLS. Its many successful lawyering initiatives on behalf of the
poor have ensured its recognition as a national leader in the
civil legal aid community. Alan Houseman, of the Center for Law
and Social Policy, speaks for many when he describes CLS as the
‘gold standard’ by which civil legal aid programs should be
judged.”
Pennsylvania Legal
Aid Network Presents 2008 Excellence Awards
The 2008 Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network Excellence Awards were
presented at the annual awards dinner on Tuesday, March
18, 2008, at the Harrisburg Hilton & Towers.
The
evening's keynote speaker was Supreme Court Justice
Cynthia Baldwin. A social hour preceded the awards
dinner which began at 6:00 PM.
The Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network
Excellence Awards honor members and friends of the legal
aid community who exemplify excellence in their
commitment and accomplishments as advocates for
low-income people. The 2008 Excellence
Award recipients include a variety of civil legal aid
professionals, private attorneys, lay advocates and
supporters of civil legal aid from across
Pennsylvania.
The award winners are led by Andrew Susko, White
and Williams, LLP and current President, Pennsylvania
Bar Association, of Philadelphia, PA. Attorney Susko who received the special Outstanding Leadership
in Support of Legal Services Award.
The other 2008 Excellence Awards winners include:
Jay Alberstadt, Jr., The
Quinn Law Firm; Board of Directors, Northwestern
Legal Services, Erie, PA.
Sandra A. Ballard, Pro
Bono/Public Services Coordinator, Dauphin County
Bar Association Pro Bono Program, Harrisburg,
PA.
Nadia Hewka, Senior Staff
Attorney, Community Legal Services,
Philadelphia, PA.
Leodus Jones, Executive
Director, Community Assistance for Prisoners;
Board of Directors Pennsylvania Institutional
Law Project, Philadelphia, PA.
John F. McKenna, MacElree
and Harvey; Board of Directors, Legal Aid of
Southeastern Pennsylvania, West Chester, PA.
David Tilove, Director of
Information & Technology, North Penn Legal
Services, Bethlehem, PA.
A video tribute to each of the award
winners was presented during the awards ceremony. Those
video tributes may be viewed above. Pennsylvania Legal
Aid Network, Inc. salutes each of the 2008 award winners
for their efforts in promoting equal justice to all.
Gerald
McHugh, Keynote Speaker The Honorable
Kate Ford
Elliot, Samuel Milkes and Yvette Long
Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network Presents 2007
Excellence Awards To Advocates for Legal Services To the
Poor
Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network
held its annual Excellence Awards Dinner on Tuesday,
March 20, 2007, at the Hilton Harrisburg.
McKonly & Asbury, a Harrisburg-based
accounting/auditing firm and Drexel University's College
of Law were the premier sponsors of the event, which
pays annual tribute to those who demonstrate exemplary
commitment and achievements on behalf of poor and
vulnerable people needing civil legal assistance
throughout the Commonwealth.
A keynote address was delivered by The
Honorable Kate Ford Elliot, President Judge of the
Superior Court of Pennsylvania. Judge Ford Elliott is
the first woman to lead an appellate court in
Pennsylvanian and the first to hold that position in the
Superior Court's 110-year history.
"Equal justice is the cornerstone of
our judicial system," said Justice Ford Elliot prior to
the event. "It will be my pleasure to join the PA Legal
Aid Network in honoring those generous few who work to
assure that all of our citizens, regardless of income,
have fair and open access to legal assistance in times
of great need."
Winners of 2007 Excellence Awards include a U.S.
Congressman, staff of legal services programs statewide,
a Rendell administration cabinet deputy secretary, a
client-advocate, a leader of community-based agency and
members of the private bar. Each honoree received an
engraved plaque and was featured in a
video tribute.
"Pennsylvania is fortunate to have a selfless community
of attorneys who recognize their obligation to assist
low-income residents who are facing dire civil legal
circumstances," said PLAN Executive Director Samuel W.
Milkes, Esq. "Since 1989 we have been formally
recognizing the best efforts of those in the justice
community who have worked in relative obscurity to help
the least among us. These include not only attorneys
from legal services programs and the private bar, but
also community volunteers who share their time and
energy to support access to equal justice for their
neighbors."
Five people received awards in the Community
Services category for advancing equal access to
justice as volunteers and friends of the statewide legal
services system.
John Dodds, Director of
the Philadelphia Unemployment Project, is a
steadfast advocate for the unemployed and the
poor.
James Kearney, Esq.,
Director of Development at MidPenn Legal
Services, and
Donald F. Smith, Jr., Esq.,
Member, MidPenn Legal Services Board of
Directors are helping to build relationships
with non-traditional partners in local
communities.
Kenneth L. Klothen, Esq.,
Deputy Secretary for Community Affairs,
Pennsylvania Department of Community and
Economic Development and
U.S.
Congressman Jim Gerlach representing
Pennsylvania's 6th district, worked jointly to
change policies and secure funding for the
Brandywine Health & Housing Center, which will
serve Coatesville, the poorest community in
Chester County.
John Kane, Esq., was
honored in the Private Bar category. Kane
recently retired as Chief Counsel to the Pennsylvania
Department of Public Welfare where he worked to ensure
that his client, DPW, "respected and honored its own
mission of assisting the Commonwealth's most vulnerable
residents."
Five others have earned Excellence Awards in the
Legal Services Staff category:
Claudia Bistyga, a
paralegal in the New Castle office of
Neighborhood Legal Services Association, is
being honored for her comprehensive skills and
knowledge of poverty law.
John P. Bogdanovicz, Esq.,
Director of Advocacy, North Penn Legal Services,
is cited as an "outstanding individual" with a
distinguished history of representing legal aid
clients and providing guidance for new legal aid
attorneys.
Harry Geller, Esq.,
Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Utility
Law Project, is regarded by Pennsylvania
legislators and others as the key resource and
spokesperson for low-income utility consumers.
Catherine Herman, Fiscal
Manager for Legal Aid of Southeastern
Pennsylvania and
Evelyn Pankey,
Administrative Coordinator of Community Legal
Services together demonstrate the crucial
importance of fiscal and administrative
employees to the mission of the legal aid
community.
Maureen P. Kelly, Esq., a
shareholder in the Pittsburgh law firm of Babst, Calland,
Clements & Zomnir, PC, is chair of the Pennsylvania
IOLTA Board and a special honoree this year. Ms. Kelly
received the Outstanding Leadership in Support
of Legal Services Award for her "invaluable
leadership and steadfast commitment to equal justice for
those who have nowhere else to turn. "There isn't an
attorney in Pennsylvania who is more committed to the
concept of equal justice and open access to the courts
for all citizens of this state," said The Honorable
Ralph J. Cappy, Chief Justice, Pennsylvania Supreme
Court.
"For one night each year we gather to honor those who
demonstrate excellence every day," said Yvette R. Long,
Board President, PLAN. "We're delighted that Justice
Ford Elliot will be here to meet those special
individuals and share her thoughts on the vital
importance of their example for the continued commitment
of our legal community."
The Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network of civil legal aid
programs is committed to a civil justice system that is
client-centered and provides full access to justice for
the poor and others who have nowhere else to turn for
legal advice. PLAN strives to meet the civil legal needs
of low-income individuals and families and victims of
domestic violence across the Commonwealth by securing
their access to justice and fairness through the legal
process.
Thomas Tupitza Receives
'Everyday Leader' Award from the Pennsylvania Bar
Association
PLAN Board Treasurer and Erie County lawyer Thomas A.
Tupitza received an Everyday Leader Award from the
Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) at noon on Thursday,
June 7, during a meeting of the Erie County Bar
Association at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center.
Tupitza is president of Knox McLaughlin Gornall and
Sennett P.C., Erie.
"Tom invests significant energies into bettering his
community and his profession," said PBA President
Kenneth J. Horoho Jr., who will present the award to
Tupitza. "His exemplary devotion to voluntary service
has made and continues to make a positive difference in
northwestern Pennsylvania and well beyond." A life-long
Erie resident, Tupitza participates in numerous civic,
charitable and religious organizations.
Tupitza currently serves in leadership roles for two
organizations dedicated to providing free legal
representation to low-income people. In addition to
serving as the treasurer of the Pennsylvania Legal Aid
Network board of directors, he serves on the board of
directors for Northwestern Legal Services.
Tupitza is a member of the advisory board for The
Nonprofit Partnership, a community building project of
The Erie Community Foundation. He was instrumental in
the creation of the organization's The Nonprofit Pro
Bono Project: Professionals Helping Nonprofits, which
matches eligible organizations with local lawyers and
certified public accountants who are providing free
consultation and education to the nonprofit community.
Additionally, Tupitza serves on the boards of the Erie
Area Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Warner Theatre
Presentation Trust. He also is a member of the Rotary
Club of Erie.
In support of his profession, he has served on several
PBA committees, including the Delivery of Legal Services
to the Needy Committee from 1998 to 2001. He is a fellow
of the Pennsylvania Bar Foundation. From 2003 to 2005,
Tupitza served on the board of the Erie County Bar
Association. He is a member and past president of the
Pennsylvania Association of Bond Lawyers, National
Association of Bond Lawyers and American Health Lawyers
Association.
Tupitza is past president of the American Baptist
Churches of Pennsylvania and Delaware, and he is a
moderator, deacon, Sunday school teacher and substitute
pianist at Wayne Park Baptist Church, Erie.
An honors graduate of Westminster College in New
Wilmington, Tupitza currently serves on its board of
trustees and previously served as president of the
college's Alumni Council. He received the Westminster
College Alumni Citation in 1998. Tupitza also graduated
with honors from Harvard Law School.
Tupitza and his wife, Carol, have been married for 20
years and have a sixteen year-old son, Adam.
"The Everyday Leader Award is given to individuals who
go above and beyond, sharing their time and talent to
help and support others," said Horoho. "They work hard
each and every day performing good works, not for
personal gain or recognition, but for the right reasons
- to improve the places they call home and to better
Pennsylvania's legal system. Tom Tupitza is one of these
'everyday leaders' and is deserving of this award which
is presented in gratitude of his contributions to native
Erie and throughout Pennsylvania."
LawHelp.org Wins Webby Award for Best
Law Website
The Webby
Awards, the leading international honor for the Web, has named
LawHelp.org, the parent
site of PALawHELP.org,
the Best Law Website of 2007.
LawHelp.org is a portal that provides low and moderate income
individuals with state-based legal referrals, know-your-rights
information and a variety of self-help tools. It was created and
is managed by Pro Bono Net, the nonprofit leader in technology
solutions to expand access to justice for those in need.
“We are honored to be singled out as creators of the top legal
website, but share this award with the more than 200 legal aid,
pro bono, bar and court-based access to justice partners around
the county with whom we have collaborated on LawHelp,” says Mark
O’Brien, Executive Director of Pro Bono Net.
About the Pennsylvania
Legal Aid Network Excellence Awards
The Pennsylvania
Legal Aid Network Excellence Awards honor
members and friends of the legal aid community
who exemplify excellence in their commitment and
accomplishments as advocates for low-income
people.
Nominations are
made in the following categories:
Legal Services
Staff
This category is for all staff positions. We are
seeking nominations for employees who exhibit
excellence and commitment in the performance of
the duties of their jobs;
Private Bar
This category is for members of the private bar
who display an outstanding commitment to legal
aid and the legal needs of low-income
Pennsylvanians;
Lay Advocacy
This category is for client leaders,
organizational partners, or others who have
donated significant time and energy to the
mission of legal aid and the needs of low-income
people.
Community Services
This category is for volunteers and friends who
demonstrate exceptional dedication to legal aid.
It may include legislators or government
officials, clients, community leaders, or others
who help promote the mission of legal aid.
Nominations are
open to everyone. You do not have to be a member
of the legal aid community to submit a
nomination. You also do not have to be a
member of a particular category to submit a
nomination in that category. There is no limit
to the number of nominations you may submit.
Nominations
usually open in the last quarter of each
calendar year for the awards to be made in the
spring of the following year.
Specific
information on nominations and a submission form
will be posted here when nomination open for
next year's awards.
Mark Swartz Receives Leadership
Award from Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania
Mark Schwartz, Executive Director of Regional Housing
Legal Services was named the co-recipient of this year's Leadership
Award presented by the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania. He shares the
2007 award with Larry Swanson, Executive Director of ACTION Housing.
In nominating Swanson and Schwartz for the award, Housing Alliance
Executive Director Liz Hersh praised their many years of dedicated
service to the cause of affordable housing.
Each year the Housing Alliance honors individuals or organizations who
have contributed significantly to the effort to ensure that every
Pennsylvanian has a home within their reach. This year's honorees
received their awards at the 2007 Homes within Reach Conference which
took place on December 6th and 7th, in Harrisburg.
Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network Recognizes
Participants in 2007 Martin Luther King Jr. Internship Program
The Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network
celebrated the 2007 Martin Luther King Jr. Internship Program at a
reception that was held on August 8, 2007 at the Dauphin County Bar
Association in Harrisburg.
Certificates of Recognition were presented to the interns who
participated in the program this year. Interns receiving recognition
included:
Bernardo Carbajal
North Penn Legal Services
Jacqueline Castaneda
Friends of Farmworkers, Inc.
Taisha Chambers
Legal Aid of Southeastern PA
Karen Fernandez
PA Institutional Law Project
Vanessa Yvette Flores
Philadelphia Legal Assistance
Joseph Palmerson
PA Utility Law Project
Seema Pereira
MidPenn Legal Services
Rasheedah Phillips
Community Legal Services
Mark James Reccek
Southwestern PA Legal Services
Justin P. Schantz
Laurel Legal Services
Funding and financial support for the
MLK Internship program is provided by the Pennsylvania Interest on
Lawyers Trust Account Board and the Pennsylvania Department of
Public Welfare. PLAN appreciates the ongoing support of these
organizations for the MLK program.
The 2007 edition of The Drum Major, a collection of
essays by the interns reflecting on their summer in legal services,
was distributed at the reception. The essays included in The
Drum Major may be viewed at the link below.
