HARRISBURG (Nov. 24, 2003) � The Pennsylvania Bar Association Government Lawyers� Committee honored Berks County�s Family Court Administrator Lisa Waldman with the 2003 �Government Lawyer of the Year� Award during a Nov. 20 luncheon held in Harrisburg. This award honors a government lawyer who has made a significant singular contribution or has dedicated his or her career to outstanding service to the profession for the benefit of the public or a governmental entity.

�Through her work as Berks County�s first full-time family court administrator, Lisa has helped to develop innovative programs and changes that have led to numerous achievements for the Berks County Court of Common Pleas,� said PBA Government Lawyers Committee Co-chair Alexis Barbieri. �Her performance, especially in the area of domestic violence prevention, has become a benchmark for court administrators throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.�

Appointed to the position is 2002, Waldman has worked with the county�s judges to

implement changes such as starting an outsourced work release program for individuals who fail to pay child support; integrating Berks County into the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Protection From Abuse Database for shared case information; obtaining a planning grant for a Supervised Safe Visitation Program for At Risk Families; and achieving a precedent-setting six week timeline � down from ten weeks � from intake to support order establishment for domestic relations clients.

As family court administrator, Waldman also supervises 12 special masters working in child support, child custody, dependency, delinquency and guardianship. She is a key advisor to the domestic relations director for family law matters and meets weekly to determine ways to improve processes and reconcile client concerns. In addition, Waldman is an active member of the Berks County Human Services Task Force, which determines outcome measures for human services funding in addition to strategic developments in human services programs.

Waldman�s knowledge of the Pennsylvania Child Support Enforcement System (PACSES) and supporting statutes led to her selection as an adjunct instructor at the newly established PACSES Training Institute. She also routinely advises judges in other counties on the administration of family laws and continues to serve as a resource for other court administrators around Pennsylvania for interpreting complex family laws.