The deadline to nominate someone for an Illinois State Bar Association award is March 4, 2024. 

Each year, the ISBA presents awards to recognize individuals and law firms for their commitment and service to the profession, their communities, and the Association. Award recipients are selected through a nomination process, and members are encouraged to nominate persons who meet the criteria for each award. 

Visit isba.org/awards

• Austin Fleming Newsletter Editors Award
  This award honors outstanding editors or past editors of Association newsletters. It is based on the concept of meritorious service to the Association and is not necessarily to be given every year.
• The Carole K. Bellows Women of Influence Award
  The Carole K. Bellows Women of Influence award honors two individuals each year that raise awareness to the unmet legal needs of women, advocates for action addressing women’s issues, or promotes involvement by women in the legal community at all levels.
• Civics Education Award
  The Committee on Law-Related Education has established “ISBA Civics Education Award” designed to annually honor up to three individuals who have helped educate the public about civics especially, our legal system.
• CLE Achievement Award
  This award honors individual ISBA members who are under age 37 and/or admitted to practice under 7 years who have made notable contributions to ISBA continuing legal education. The award recognizes the recipient’s overall involvement in ISBA’s CLE programming, as well as the potential for future leadership in that area. It is not necessarily presented every year.
• CLE Distinguished Service Award
  This award honors individual ISBA members who have made outstanding contributions to ISBA continuing legal education. The award does not recognize a single program, but the meritorious work of the recipient over a substantial period of time. It is not necessarily presented every year.
• Community Leadership Award
  Given by the ISBA's Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI), the honor recognizes individuals for efforts to foster understanding of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and their issues of concern.
• Diversity Leadership Award
  The Diversity Leadership Award recognizes long-standing, continuing and exceptional commitment by an individual or an organization to the critical importance of diversity within the Illinois legal community, its judiciary and within the Illinois State Bar Association.
• Elmer Gertz Human & Civil Rights Award
  The Gertz Award recognizes long-standing, continuing and exceptional commitment by an individual or an organization to the protection or advancement of Human Rights.
• John C. McAndrews Pro Bono Service Award
  The award is named in memory of Rock Island attorney John McAndrews, who chaired the ISBA Committee on Delivery of Legal Services and is awarded to individual lawyers, law firms, and corporate law departments, and bar associations for providing free legal services to the income eligible in Illinois or expanding the availability of legal services to the income eligible in Illinois.
• Joseph R. Bartylak Memorial Legal Services Award
  This award is named in memory of legal services attorney Joseph R. Bartylak to annually honor his extraordinary commitment and dedication to civil legal services and his outstanding service to Illinois' vulnerable and low-income population.
• Law Student Division Public Service Award
  Awarded annually to a law student participating in activities that enhance professional responsibility and provide service to the public. The award is based on extracurricular accomplishments and service related activities during the law school career.
• Excellence in Legal Education Award
  The Committee on Legal Education, Admissions and Competence has established "The Excellence on Legal Education Award" designed to annually honor a law school program that emphasizes real world skill for students.
• Law Enforcement Award
  The Law Enforcement Award was created to recognize sworn law enforcement officers for conduct that promotes justice and to distinguish those individuals whose service to the public brings honor and respect to the entire criminal justice system. The award is given sparingly to recognize those who truly excel in the field of law enforcement.
• Matthew Maloney Tradition Of Excellence Award
  This award is named in memory of Princeton attorney Matthew Maloney, who was a past chair of the ISBA General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Section Council and is awarded to individual lawyers who are in a general solo or small firm practice.
• Roz Kaplan Government Service Award
  The Roz Kaplan Government Service Award honors government attorneys whose dedication and service have made a difference. The Award recognizes attorneys who, like Roz Kaplan, dedicate their careers to government service.
• Richard H. Teas Legislative Support Award
  In memory of Richard H. Teas, a long-time member of the ISBA Trusts and Estates Section Council, who contributed hours of his own time in analyzing, drafting, and testifying on legislation. Awarded to acknowledge ISBA members' meritorious service provided in support of ISBA's legislative efforts in the Illinois General Assembly.
• Young Lawyer of the Year Award
  The ISBA Young Lawyers Division recognizes two outstanding young lawyers – one practicing outside Cook County and one within – at an awards luncheon. Award recipients must be members in good standing of the Illinois State Bar Association and have not yet reached age 36.
• ISBA Laureate Award
  The ISBA's Academy of Illinois Lawyers designates as Laureates those practitioners deemed to exemplify the highest ideals of the profession. Sorry, we are not taking nominations for the Laureate Award at this time.
• Board of Governors Award
  The award is given to ISBA members for significant service to the profession and the public.