ABA Now Accepting Nominations for 19th Annual Livingston Hall Juvenile Justice Award

WASHINGTON, D.C., Jan. 7, 2004 – The American Bar Association Juvenile Justice Center is seeking nominations for the 19th annual Livingston Hall Juvenile Justice Award. The award honors lawyers practicing in the juvenile justice field who display the highest degree of skill and dedication in representing their young clients.

“The American Bar Association works hard to make sure lawyers working in the juvenile justice field are recognized for their tireless commitment to protecting the rights and interests of children,” said Louisiana juvenile court Judge Ernestine Gray, co-chair of the ABA Criminal Justice Section Juvenile Justice Committee. “As we bemoan the fact of too few committed and qualified lawyers representing children, it is only fitting that talented and dedicated advocates actively working in the juvenile justice system are honored.”

Wallace Mlyniec, co-chair of the committee, pointed out that “the award is a celebration of the large number of unsung heroes devoting a significant portion of their practice to youth.”

The award is named after former Harvard Law School Professor Livingston Hall, a pivotal leader in the field of juvenile justice who headed the Juvenile Justice Committee for several years. The winner will be honored at a ceremony and reception to be held during the 2004 ABA Annual Meeting in Atlanta in August.

Nominees should be active members of the bar of the highest court of any state, should devote a significant portion of their professional activity to advocacy on behalf of children, and should demonstrate commitment to representing their juvenile clients with the highest degree of skill and professionalism. Nominees should evidence knowledge of and sustained interest in the legal issues surrounding children and youth and should, through their practices, have a significant impact on the lives of children.

The ABA values the opportunity to review a wide variety of nominees that meet the above criteria. Clients, client organizations, fellow lawyers, judges, prosecutors, defenders, organizations, individuals and agencies are encouraged to submit nominations.

Nominations must be made on the official form available from the ABA Juvenile Justice Center, and must be returned no later than April 16. This form can be can be obtained by contacting Maura McManmon at the ABA Juvenile Justice Center, 740 15th Street, N.W., 7th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20005-1022, or by e-mail at mcmanmom@staff.abanet.org.

The form can also be downloaded from www.abanet.org/crimjust/juvjus/livingstonhall.html.

The American Bar Association is the largest voluntary professional membership association in the world. With more than 400,000 members, the ABA provides law school accreditation, continuing legal education, information about the law, programs to assist lawyers and judges in their work, and initiatives to improve the legal system for the public.