The American Bar Association’s Government and Public Sector Lawyers Division is accepting nominations for its three national awards.

The Dorsey Award honors an outstanding public defender or legal aid lawyer. Eligible recipients are lawyers who serve indigent persons, in the employ of legal aid bureaus, indigent defense, or legal services corporations serving the disadvantaged. Eligible nominees must be employed by an entity that receives government funding.

The Hodson Award recognizes sustained outstanding service or a specific extraordinary accomplishment by a government or public sector law office. Eligible nominees include all government (federal, state, local, and military) or public sector law offices (e.g., legal aid bureaus, public defender offices). To be eligible nominees must receive funding from a government entity. Departments or units within offices are also eligible.

The Nelson Award honors outstanding contributions to the ABA by an individual government or public sector lawyer. All government and public sector lawyers are eligible and the division will consider an individual’s specific extraordinary accomplishments as well as sustained superior contributions to the ABA over a number of years.

These awards offer a rare opportunity to recognize the outstanding work accomplished in the public sector. They also serve to inform the general community about the exceptional work of the nation’s public sector lawyers.

Nominations must be received by April 17, 2007. All nomination information can be found on the Division’s Web page at: <http://www.abanet.org/govpub/annual.html>.