Pro Bono Awards

Award Nomination

The Access to Legal Services Committee recognizes accomplishments and outstanding performance in furthering the Access to Justice annually with four awards.

Nomination guidelines for all awards are the same. There are no official entry forms to complete. Please submit your nomination, describing how the organization or person meets the criteria, in writing, including endorsements and any other supporting material in ONE of the following ways:

  • by mail, to the Virginia State Bar Access to Legal Services Committee, c/o Crista Gantz, 1111 East Main Street, Suite 700, Richmond, Virginia 23219
  • by email to Ms. Gantz, listing the award name in the subject line
  • by fax at (804) 775-0501

Please be sure to include your name, the name and address of the nominee, and phone numbers with your nomination. Nominations are due before 5:00 p.m. on the deadline day.

For more information, please contact Crista Gantz, Access to Legal Services Director, (804) 775-0522. Please inquire by telephone if you have not received acknowledgment of receipt of a nomination within five days.

Annual Awards

Lewis F. Powell Jr. Pro Bono Award 

The Lewis F. Powell Jr. Pro Bono Award was established by the Standing Committee on Access to Legal Services of the Virginia State Bar to honor those attorneys and attorney groups that have made outstanding pro bono contributions. The Access Committee annually reviews all nominations and decides upon the recipient. The award, a framed certificate bearing the honorees name and a quote from the late Justice Powell, will be presented at a ceremony during the Virginia Pro Bono Conference in October. Recipients will also receive a copy of the limited-edition print of the painting Patrick Henry Arguing the Parson’s Cause.

Criteria

The recipient of the award must meet one or more of the following criteria:

  • Demonstrated dedication to the development and delivery of pro bono legal services in the Commonwealth of Virginia;
  • Contributed significantly toward the development of innovative approaches to the delivery of volunteer legal services;
  • Participated in an activity that resulted in satisfying previously unmet needs for legal services or in extending services to underserved segments of the population;
  • Successfully handled pro bono cases that favorably affected the provision of other services to the poor in Virginia;
  • Successfully supported legislation that contributed substantially to providing legal services to the poor; or
  • Devoted significant time to furthering the delivery of legal services to the poor in Virginia by handling pro bono matters or providing training or recruiting volunteer attorneys for pro bono programs.

The nominee must be a member of the Virginia State Bar or group comprising such persons who are engaged in pro bono activity. Law firms, corporate legal departments, nonprofit legal services organizations are no longer eligible for this award (Cf., Frankie Muse Freeman Organizational Pro Bono Award) and persons whose livelihood is derived from delivering legal services to the poor are also not eligible.

Past Recipients

  • The Honorable Lewis F. Powell Jr. (1991—Richmond) The late associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, prior to serving on the bench, helped create a national network of legal aid programs.
  • Oliver W. Hill (1992—Richmond) The late civil rights icon pioneered challenges to segregation as a lead lawyer in Brown v. Board of Education.
  • Ellen S. Weinman (1993—Salem) Donated more than a dozen years to representing women and children survivors of domestic violence.
  • Marion Toomey Baker (1994—Lynchburg) Volunteered as the primary family law attorney at Virginia Legal Aid Society for over a decade.
  • The Honorable James Keith (1995—Fairfax) The late circuit court judge served as an in-house pro bono attorney with Legal Services of Northern Virginia (LSNV) for a dozen years after retiring from the bench.
  • John C. Kenny (1996—Richmond) The late Central Virginia Legal Aid board member helped generate thousands of dollars in charitable contributions and donations of professional services from volunteer lawyers.
  • Donald F. Mela (1997—Alexandria) The late advocate spent close to a decade assisting the pro bono efforts of the Alexandria Bar Association and LSNV.
  • John M. Levy (1998—Williamsburg) For 30 years, engaged in law reform work, recruited pro bono attorneys, and personally delivered legal services to groups representing the poor.
  • The Law Firm of Hunton & Williams (1998—Richmond-based) (1) met the ABA’s challenge to major firms to devote 3% of billable hours to pro bono and, (2) implemented a menu of volunteer service options.
  • The Harrisonburg-Rockingham Bar Association (1998) Sustained, for more than 15 years, an effective pro bono program with Blue Ridge Legal Services that includes a presumption of universal participation.
  • Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (1999—McLean) The Legal Division contributed direct pro bono legal services and other support to clients of LSNV for eight years.
  • Steven D. Rosenfield (2000—Charlottesville) For two decades zealously advocated on behalf of prisoners and the poor through pro bono and court-appointed cases.
  • The Virginia Beach Bar Association CLASS Project (2001) For seven years, VBBA volunteers aided survivors of domestic violence.
  • The Community Tax Law Project (2001—Richmond-based) Since 1992, more than 100 volunteer lawyers and accountants have assisted low-income taxpayers.
  • Donald T. Floyd (2002) Volunteered about 20 hours a week over eight years at Central Virginia Legal Aid.
  • Steven D. Benjamin (2003—Richmond) A lifetime of professional service has included ongoing leadership efforts to reform indigent defense.
  • Stephen A. Northup (2004—Richmond) Volunteered on death penalty cases and helped institutionalize pro bono at Troutman Sanders LLP.
  • The Fairfax Bar Pro Bono Program (2004) Developed an in-house capacity to supplement legal aid through new programs.
  • Joseph W. Gorrell (2005—Fredericksburg) Devoted at least one day per week for nine years to needy clients of Rappahannock Legal Services.
  • David P. Baugh (2006—Richmond) Devoted decades to pro bono representation on high-profile First Amendment cases and zealously defended, for nominal compensation, broadly unpopular indigent criminal defendants.
  • John M. Oakey Jr. (2007—Richmond) Subsequent to his retirement as a full-time partner at McGuireWoods LLP, he served more than eight years as a model pro bono attorney. 
  • Volunteer Faculty and Cooperating Counsel affiliated with the Caplin Center at the UVa School of Law (2007—Charlottesville) Supervised and mentored law students to contribute exponentially to the thousands of hours of pure pro bono donated to the community.
  • Phyllis C. Katz (2008—Richmond) Co-founded LINC, the nonprofit Legal Information Network for Cancer, which over a dozen years aided more than 3,000 patients with the business side of cancer diagnoses.
  • Clarence M. Dunnaville Jr. (2009—Richmond) spent a lifetime volunteering in the civil rights arena and accepted undercompensated court-appointed cases exploring a civil right to counsel.
  • William B. Reichhardt (2010—Fairfax) His pro bono teaching and mentoring efforts were crucial in expanding the statewide legal aid pool of qualified special education advocates. 
  • Gail Starling Marshall (2011—Rapidan) Recognized for lifelong achievements that encompassed first amendment litigation, death penalty review cases, challenges to the Commonwealth’s parole system, and the development and delivery of free and affordable legal services.  
  • Robert F. Redmond Jr. (2012—Richmond), though a products liability lawyer by trade, he collaborated with the Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and others to establish and sustain for seven years a monthly legal clinic for underserved recent immigrants. A partner at Williams Mullen, he is helping to expand the clinic to Northern Virginia and also helped to form a policy group to ensure that legislation aimed at illegal immigration does not harm the state’s business reputation.
  • Lewis B. Puller Jr. Veterans Benefits Clinic at the William & Mary Law School (2013—Williamsburg)
  • Legal Information Network for Cancer (Richmond) and M. Steven Weaver (Harrisonburg) and Glenn M. Hodge (Harrisonburg) — 2014
  • George H. Hettrick (2015 — Richmond) Chair of the Pro Bono Leadership Committee at Hunton & Williams
  • Law Firm of Hoover Penrod PLC. (2016 — Harrisonburg)
  • Ofelia Calderón (2017 — Fairfax)
  • G. Andrew Nea Jr. (2018 — Richmond)
  • Hebert “Herb” L. Sebren Jr. (2019 — Tappahannock)
  • Bary Hausrath and Chip Clapp Co-recipients, (2020 – Richmond and Fairfax, respectively)
  • Charlie Phillips (2021 – Roanoke)
  • William E. “Bill” Shmidheiser III (2023 — Harrisonburg)

Frankie Muse Freeman Organizational Pro Bono Award - Nominations Due March 29

The Frankie Muse Freeman Organizational Pro Bono Award was established by the Standing Committee on Access to Legal Services of the Virginia State Bar in 2016 to honor organizations that have made outstanding contributions in the area of pro bono legal services for the poor. Organizations that are eligible for the award may include, for example, law firms, corporate legal departments, nonprofits, faith-based organizations, local bar associations, court-based projects, and law school programs. The Access Committee annually reviews all nominations and decides upon the recipient. The award, a framed certificate, will be presented at a ceremony during the Virginia Pro Bono and Legal Aid Conference in October.

Criteria

The organization that is the recipient of the award must meet one or more of the following criteria:

  • A multi-year track record demonstrating dedication to the development and delivery of pro bono legal services in the Commonwealth of Virginia;
  • Significant contributions toward the development of innovative approaches to the delivery of volunteer legal services;
  • Sponsorship and promotion of activities that resulted in addressing previously unmet needs for legal services or in extending services to underserved segments of the population; or
  • Notable success in handling specific pro bono cases that resulted in important outcomes for low-income clients or which favorably affected the provision of other vital services to the poor in Virginia.

There must be one or more members of the Virginia State Bar who are actively involved in the work of the organization. If all the attorneys who do the work of the organization are persons whose livelihood is derived from delivering legal services to the poor, then the organization is not eligible to receive the award.

Past Recipients

Virginia Legal Aid Award

Since 1992 at the Virginia State Bar’s Annual Meeting in Virginia Beach, an outstanding legal aid attorney has received the Virginia Legal Aid Award. Established by the bar’s Standing Committee on Access to Legal Services, the award is presented at the October Pro Bono Awards Dinner & Celebration as part of the VSB Pro Bono Conference and Statewide Legal Aid Conference. 

Criteria

While there is no official form to complete, the Access Committee asks that nominations be in writing and include a description of how the nominee exhibits the following qualities in his or her work:

  • Innovation and creativity in advocacy;
  • Experience and excellence in service;
  • Impact beyond his or her own program’s service area.

The nominee must be a member of the Virginia State Bar and an employee of a legal aid society licensed by the VSB to operate in Virginia.

Past Recipients

  • 2023 – Tamara X. Moore
  • 2022 – Jennifer L. Locke
  • 2021 – Amy Disel Allman
  • 2020 – Marcellinus Slag
  • 2019 – Palma Pustilnik
  • 2018 – Dipti Pidikiti-Smith
  • 2017 – Angela Ciolfi
  • 2016 – Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg
  • 2015 – Jeremy P. White
  • 2014 – Christine E. Marra
  • 2013 – John R. Rellick
  • 2012 – Abigail Turner
  • 2011 – Larry T. Harley
  • 2010 – Kathryn L. Pryor
  • 2009 – Freddie L. Goode
  • 2008 – James W. “Jay” Speer

Oliver White Hill Law Student Pro Bono Award - Nominations Due March 29

The Oliver White Hill Law Student Pro Bono Award was inaugurated by the Virginia State Bar in February 2002. Established to honor extraordinary law student achievement in the areas of pro bono publico and under-compensated public service work in Virginia, the Hill Law Student Award is administered by the Bar’s Standing Committee on Access to Legal Services.

Presentation of the award is reserved for extraordinary achievements of outstanding students. The Access Committee will annually review nominations to determine if there should be a designee. The award is presented at the VSB’s Annual Meeting in June at a luncheon for interested members of the legal aid and pro bono communities.

Criteria

The Access Committee invites submissions from law school deans, law school professors, and others, including non-bar members and organizations that are sufficiently familiar with candidates whose work meets or exceeds the following criteria:

  • Core eligibility is evidenced by a minimum of 100 hours of uncompensated, voluntary pro bono work** completed over the course of a law student’s career. Pro bono work is considered voluntary, even though it meets a law school’s community service requirements, so long as the student receives no academic or clinical credit for such work. The nominator may submit a reasonable estimate of pro bono hours, rather than an exact record, to meet the minimum standard of 100 hours.
  • A student’s participation in under-compensated public service work is a supplemental factor that will be considered in selecting a recipient. (Nominators should clearly indicate when public service work is under-compensated, and, if possible, provide details of the extent of the student’s financial sacrifice.)
  • Participation in other activities while in law school that demonstrates a student’s commitment to public and/or community service may also be taken into consideration, including, for example, organizing a public service career panel, helping to raise funds to support public service summer jobs, or participating in non-law-related community service programs.
  • All students meeting core criteria whose final academic year of law school in Virginia begins in the calendar year before the award is given will be eligible as nominees. Part-time law students would be eligible for consideration during their final academic year of law school. (This means, for example, that a student who graduates in December 2016 would be eligible for inclusion in nominations submitted for the Spring 2017 deadline.)

There is no nomination form to complete. Please forward narratives and references, identifying the candidate and the candidate’s law school, and explain how the nominee meets award criteria. All entries, including endorsements and other supporting material, are due by the date listed on the awards page. 

**For guidance in identifying categories of pro bono publico service, nominators are encouraged to review the Virginia Rules of Professional Conduct, especially Public Service Rules 6.1 and 6.2 and their commentary. Also useful is Bar Council’s 1999 Resolution to Enhance Pro Bono Publico in Virginia which complements the rules. Together they demonstrate the breadth of service types for which the bar is eager to acknowledge extraordinary contributions. For example, consideration may be given to appropriately supervised student research and other qualifying law-related work on behalf of indigent criminal defendants, public charities, faith congregation-sponsored projects serving the poor, public interest groups, community mediation centers, and nonprofit legal services providers, including licensed legal aid societies.

Past Recipients