STATE BAR HONORS LAWYERS WHO PROMOTE PRO BONO AND DIVERSITY

MEDIA CONTACT:  Diane Curtis   415-538-2283   diane.curtis@calbar.ca.gov

San Francisco, October 02, 2006 — More than a dozen attorneys who have distinguished themselves with their pro bono work and diversity efforts will be honored at the 79th Annual Meeting of The State Bar of California in Monterey this week.

State Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald George and State Bar President James O. Heiting will present the Loren Miller Legal Services Award, the 2006 President’s Pro Bono Service Awards and the Jack Berman Award of Achievement at a ceremony on Friday, Oct. 6.

“These are the people who lead through service,” said Heiting of the 2006 award winners. “They give of themselves every day to improve the lives of our citizens and country.”

Joan Messing Graff, 63, executive director of the Legal Aid Society of San Francisco-Employment Law Center, will receive the Loren Miller Legal Services Award 2006 for a career devoted to helping the poor. The Loren Miller Award is the State Bar’s highest honor and recognizes an individual’s outstanding achievement in providing legal services.

Christine Hayashi, 51, a solo practitioner from Granada Hills specializing in special education law and a board member of the Disability Rights Legal Center, will receive the 2006 Jack Berman Award of Achievement for Distinguished Service to the Profession and Public. The award is made to a new or young lawyer who has demonstrated an impressive commitment to public service.

The nine categories and recipients of the 2006 President’s Pro Bono Service Awards are:

• Corporate – Dennis Connelly, 45, of Santa Ana. He did most of his 2005 pro bono work while he was in-house counsel for Beech Street Corp.
• Emeritus or Limited Active Practice Attorney – Lee Roullier, 82, of Rocklin. Roullier is a former Lincoln Law School dean and professor.
• Small Law Firm – Liberson & Wolford LLP, of San Francisco. Joel Liberson, 43, and Jason Wolford, 38, are former Gordon Rees colleagues who started their own San Francisco law firm.
• Medium Law Firm – McDermott Will & Emery LLP-Silicon Valley Office, Palo Alto.
• Large Law Fim, Individual – Deborah McCrimmon, 29, San Francisco, DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary US LLP.
• Recently Admitted – Nicholas Baran, 54, San Francisco.
• Solo Practitioner – Cynthia Holton, 55, Tustin.
• Government – Orange County Public Defender’s Office, Santa Ana.
• Distinguished Pro Bono Service – Bay Area Association of Muslim Lawyers, San Jose.

On Saturday, Oct. 7, the 5th Annual Diversity Awards will be presented to Alfred Jenkins, 70, of Los Angeles, Bill Lann Lee, 57, of San Francisco, and the California Association of Black Lawyers.

The Diversity Awards recognize outstanding efforts made by a bar association and individual attorneys in promoting diversity in the legal profession, in particular, to recognize efforts ensuring the full and equal opportunity of all persons for entry and advancement in the legal profession.

Founded in 1927 by the state legislature, The State Bar of California is an administrative arm of the California Supreme Court, serving the public and seeking to improve the justice system for more than 75 years. All lawyers practicing law in California must be members of the State Bar. In October 2006, membership reached more than 206,500.

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