American Bar Association to Honor Sandra Day O’Connor for Justice System Advocacy

CHICAGO, July 25, 2011 — Retired U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Sandra Day O’Connor has been named recipient of the American Bar Association Justice Center’s 2011 John Marshall Award in recognition of her exemplary lifelong commitment to improving the administration of justice.

The John Marshall Award is named in honor of the fourth chief justice of the United States, who is credited with establishing the independence of the judiciary and enhancing its moral authority. O’Connor will receive the award at the ABA Annual Dinner in Honor of the Judiciary, Aug. 5, at the Fairmont Royal York hotel in Toronto during the association’s 2011 Annual Meeting.

As the U.S. Supreme Court’s first woman member, O’Connor served from 1981 to 2006. Before this, she served in a range of state, county and municipal judicial, legislative and legal positions.

During her time on the bench and since, O’Connor has been a strong advocate for fair and impartial courts, state judicial selection reform, civic education in the nation’s schools and advancement of the rule of law in developing democracies across the globe.

Her participation with the ABA includes service on the association’s Central Europe and Eurasian Law Initiative (now the Rule of Law Initiative), Commission on Civic Education and the Separation of Powers, Museum of Law, Standing Committee on the Law Library of Congress, and Commission on Fair and Impartial State Courts.

Also receiving the John Marshall Award will be William H. Neukom, former ABA president and founder of the World Justice Project. Neukom is currently managing general partner of the San Francisco Giants and former general counsel of Microsoft Corp.

WHO: Sandra Day O’Connor

WHAT: ABA Justice Center’s John Marshall Award

WHEN: Aug. 5 (award presentation between approximately 8 – 9 p.m.)

WHERE: ABA Annual Meeting, Fairmont Royal York hotel, Toronto

Online registration for news reporters is easier than ever.  Credential guidelines are at http://www.abanow.org/reporter-resources/media-credentials/. Stay updated before and during the Annual Meeting by visiting www.abanow.org.

During the Annual Meeting, accredited journalists should register on-site at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, South Building, Level 800, Hall E, beginning at 8 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 4. A separate press room behind the main registration area will be open daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and will close one hour after the adjournment of the House of Delegates on Aug. 9.

With nearly 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is the world’s largest voluntary professional membership organization.  As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.

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