Specialty Bar Leader of the Year Award

Any current or past specialty bar leader in good standing with the Virginia State Bar who has remained active in specialty bar work through continuing contributions to his or her CLSBA-member specialty bar is eligible for nomination. When judging nominees, emphasis will be placed on service within the last ten years. This recognition will not be awarded solely because the recipient has held and discharged with fidelity high office or a variety of offices in the individual’s specialty bar association, but will honor outstanding dedication and achievement..

The Executive Committee of the Conference of Local and Specialty Bar Associations will judge the competition. Members of the Executive Committee are not eligible to win.

The winner of the Specialty Bar Leader of the Year Award will be notified by telephone by Friday, May 9, 2025.

1. All entries shall have a cover page with the following information:
   1. Nominee’s name and address
   2. Name of the specialty bar(s) in which nominee has served, with pertinent dates of service
   3. Name, address, and phone number of person(s) submitting nomination
2. In addition to the cover page, nominations should be in the form of letters of recommendation. Please include a high resolution photograph of nominee if available.
3. All entries should be emailed to [email protected]
   —OR—
   Mailed to:
   Paulette Davidson
   Virginia State Bar
   1111 East Main Street, Suite 700
   Richmond, VA 23219-0026
   Phone: (804) 775-0521
4. All entries must be postmarked or received via e-mail no later than Friday, April 11, 2025.

A subcommittee appointed by the chair of the CLSBA will judge the competition.

Entries will be judged according to:

1. Member Support: CLEs, programs that mentor young lawyers, guidance with local rules, member events, membership directories, teaching and promoting civility, promoting contact between the bench and bar, and programs helping with substance/alcohol abuse and mental health issues for lawyers.
2. Community Outreach: So You’re 18 presentations; presentations to senior citizens in senior centers and nursing homes; hosting candidate forums; presentations to elementary, middle, and high school students; Color of Justice programs (exposing minority children to careers in the law); and efforts to improve the overall reputation of lawyers and the justice system in the community.
3. Charitable Works: Work at homeless shelters/domestic violence shelters, collections for food shelters, holiday events/parties/celebrations for underprivileged children, work with at-risk children and teens, and assistance in disaster relief.
4. Pro Bono Work: Assisting with the Bar’s efforts to encourage members to do pro bono work; incentives by the bar association for the members to do pro bono work; the existence of a pro bono committee within the bar association; and the percentage of members involved in GAL, court-appointed, or civil commitment work.
5. Details: Membership participation percentage (how many bar members actually participated in something in the past year as opposed to merely holding status as member); New projects during the last calendar year; Novel or unusual projects (is a bar doing something that no other bar is doing); and Sustained projects (projects that the bar has been doing for five or more consecutive years).
6. Other: Any and all other activities regarding your local bar association that the applicant believes should be considered.

The winner will be notified via telephone by Friday, May 9, 2025.