news
release
August 4, 2008
CONTACT:
Aaron Pickering
(202) 466-3686 ext. 137
www.equaljusticeworks.org
EQUAL JUSTICE WORKS NAMES
2008 PUBLIC INTEREST LAW LEADERS
2008 PUBLIC INTEREST LAW LEADERS
Former Senator George Mitchell will receive the Scales of Justice Award for his personal commitment to public service throughout his career. Sen. Mitchell remained dedicated to public service at home and abroad during his service as the U.S. Attorney for the state of Maine, as a U.S. District Court Judge, and later as U.S. Senator and Majority Leader. Today, as Partner and Chairman of the Global Board at DLA Piper, Sen. Mitchell is devoted to inspiring the next generation of lawyers to do pro bono or public service work.
“Senator Mitchell represents the ideals we hope to instill in law students and lawyers – he made public service an important part of his life after law school and he is a leader in motivating others,” said David Stern, Chief Executive Officer for Equal Justice Works.
Other honorees include Harvard University School of Law Dean Elena Kagan and Georgetown University Law Center Professor Philip Schrag.
Dean Kagan will receive the 2008 Dean John R. Kramer Outstanding Law School Dean Award for her innovative, strategic approach to promoting public service among law students. Since becoming dean of Harvard Law School in 2003, Dean Kagan has added programs and increased institutional support to ensure that every law student has experience working on behalf of an underserved community. Dean Kagan implemented a mandatory pro bono program, increased the size of the Office of Public Interest Advising, and created a revolutionary tuition-waiver program.
As the recipient of the Outstanding Law School Faculty Award, Professor Schrag is being recognized for his two decades of advocacy for loan repayment assistance for public interest lawyers and other graduates who enter public service. Last year Congress passed the College Cost Reduction & Access Act, thanks in part to his efforts. The new law will enable many more graduates to pursue public interest jobs without regard for debt, which has been a major obstacle for public interest-minded lawyers for decades. Professor Schrag also created the Public Interest Law Scholars program at Georgetown University Law Center and he has directed the Center for Applied Legal Studies for more than 25 years.
Senator Mitchell and Dean Kagan will be honored at the 2008 Equal Justice Works Awards Dinner on October 16. Professor Schrag will be recognized at the 2008 Equal Justice Works Awards Luncheon on October 10. For more information on these events, please visit http://www.equaljusticeworks.org/events.
The Equal Justice Works Awards are given annually to honor the outstanding public interest contributions of an individual, law school dean, and law school faculty or staff. Winners of the Student Awards will be announced in September. Previous honorees include Brad Smith, Microsoft Corporation (Scales of Justice, 2007); Dean Karen Rothenberg, University of Maryland School of Law (Dean John R. Kramer Outstanding Law School Dean Award, 2007); and Ilene Seidman, Suffolk University Law School (Outstanding Law School Faculty Award, 2007). For a complete list of previous winners, visit http://www.equaljusticeworks.org/about/awards.
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Equal Justice Works, a nonprofit, nonpartisan 501(c)(3) organization, was founded in 1986 by law students dedicated to working for equal justice on behalf of underserved communities and causes. Today, Equal Justice Works is the national leader in creating summer and postgraduate public interest opportunities for law students and lawyers as well as in urging more public interest programming at law schools. For more information, visit www.equaljusticeworks.org.
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JUSTICE WORKS | 2120 L Street, NW | Suite 450 | Washington, DC 20037
tel: (202) 466-3686 | fax: (202) 429-9766 | www.equaljusticeworks.org
tel: (202) 466-3686 | fax: (202) 429-9766 | www.equaljusticeworks.org