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Awards

  • May 29, 2012 | ISBA News
    Urbana's Lafond to be honored with ISBA's 1st annual Bartylak Legal Services Award

    John Lafond is one of those rare people who enjoys being slapped up side the head day after day with perspective.

    "Every day I see people getting by with not very much at all. I'm grateful for every little bit of what I've got. It's just an added bonus when you can do something that brings spiritual satisfaction to the material comforts," he said.

    Lafond is not a minister or a counselor. He's a lawyer practicing in a niche that few pursue: public service law.

    The 52-year-old Urbana man has spent all of his 25-year career with Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation, advocating in civil matters for those who can't afford a lawyer. For that, he's being honored next month by the Illinois State Bar Association with the first annual Joseph Bartylak Memorial Legal Services Award.

    Read the full feature story in the Champaign News-Gazette

  • March 3, 2011 | ISBA News
    Deadlines approaching for ISBA award nominations
    Nominations are being accepted for ISBA awards that will be presented on Friday, June 17, 2011, at the 135th ISBA Annual Meeting at the Abbey on Lake Geneva, Fontana, Wis. Nominating forms are available at www.isba.org/awards General Practice The Matthew Maloney Tradition of Excellence Award is sponsored by the General Practice, Solo & Small Firm Section. Nominees must be ISBA members who have been in general practice for at least 20 years and have made significant contributions to the profession and community. Nominations are due by March 25, 2011. The nominating form is available at www.isba.org/awards/gp. Community Leadership The Community Leadership Award is sponsored by the Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity. Nominees should be lawyers, judges, lawyers, members of state or local legislative bodies, educators or community activist groups who have worked to eliminate discrimination and foster understanding of legal issues relating to the LGBT community. Nominations are due by April 15, 2011. The nominating form is available at www.isba.org/awards/sogi. Young Lawyers The ISBA Young Lawers Division presents two Young Lawyer of the Year awards - one for Cook County and one for outside Cook County. Nominees must be ISBA members under age 36 who have achieved excellence in litigation, advocacy or counseling, and have contributed to the profession through public service and pro bono activity.
  • December 6, 2010 | ISBA News
    Nominations being accepted for Austin Fleming Newsletter Editors Award
    The Austin Fleming Newsletter Editors Award honors outstanding editors of ISBA newsletters. The award is based on meritorious service to the Association and is not necessarily to be given every year. Some criteria to be considered:
    1. Length of service as editor or co-editor
    2. Quality of work in writing and editing material for publication
    3. Importance of subject matter to the newsletter’s audience
    4. Reputation of the editor in the field covered by the newsletter
    Nominations will be accepted until March 11, 2011. Click here for more information and to download a nomination form. Questions? E-mail Katie Underwood, newsletter managing editor, at kunderwood@isba.org.
  • November 5, 2010 | ISBA News
    Nominate a friend or colleague for an ISBA award
    Nominations are being accepted for ISBA awards that will be presented on Friday, June 17, 2011, at the 135th ISBA Annual Meeting at the Abbey on Lake Geneva, Fontana, Wis. Nominating forms are available at www.isba.org/awards
  • September 21, 2010 | People
    Chavez honored with Commitment to Diversity Award
    [caption id="attachment_14672" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Patrick Chavez"][/caption] Williams Venker & Sanders partner, Patrick Chavez (pchavez@wvslaw.com) was recently presented with the Commitment to Diversity Award at the 3rd Annual St. Louis Diversity Job Fair, held Aug. 23.  Patrick gave the event’s keynote address, “Increasing Diversity in the Bar by Emphasizing Professionalism” to an audience comprised of law students and individuals from law firms, corporations and government agencies. As a Co-chair of the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis’ Minorities in the Legal Profession Committee, Patrick has demonstrated a commitment to educate St. Louis-area law firms on the importance of increasing diversity within their ranks. He regularly lectures to law students and lawyers and is a member of the Hispanic National Bar Association and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan St. Louis. Located in St. Louis, Williams Venker & Sanders LLC is one of the Midwest’s leading trial law firms. For more information, visit www.wvslaw.com.
  • August 24, 2010 | People
    Williams Venker & Sanders partners Barth, Chavez named "Up & Coming Lawyers"
    [caption id="attachment_14128" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Mike Barth"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_14129" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Patrick Chavez"][/caption] Williams Venker & Sanders partners, Mike Barth (mbarth@wvslaw.com) and Patrick Chavez (pchavez@wvslaw.com) were recently named as “Up & Coming Lawyers” by Missouri Lawyers Weekly in their August 23rd issue. In conjunction with the recognition, Mike and Patrick will be honored at a reception on September 22nd along with other Missouri legal professionals named to the list. “Up & Coming Lawyers” recognizes the state’s premier lawyers that are younger than 40 years old (or within their first 10 years of practice) and are making a positive difference in the quality of justice while exemplifying the highest ideals of the legal profession.