HARRISBURG (Feb. 20, 2002) - The Pennsylvania Bar Association Conference of County Bar Leaders (CCBL) will honor Centre County lawyer Eugene W. Lederer for his long history of service and dedication to Pennsylvania�s legal community. Lederer will receive the 2002 Chief Justice John P. Flaherty Award during the 36th annual seminar of the CCBL March 1 at 12:30 p.m. at the Nittany Lion Inn, Ballroom, State College.

The Chief Justice John P. Flaherty Award, which is named for the former chief of justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, is presented to an individual who has been active in the CCBL and has worked to improve the legal profession, the justice system or the community. The award is not intended to be an annual accolade.

�This award is designed to recognize those individuals who have gone above and beyond in the promotion of Pennsylvania�s legal profession,� noted PBA President H. Reginald Belden Jr. �The PBA is pleased to honor Eugene Lederer for his outstanding dedication to the CCBL, his local bar association and to the legal community as a whole.�

In nominating Lederer for the award, Centre County Bar Association (CCBA) President Terry Williams noted that Lederer �has given of his time selflessly and without renumeration.� Miller�s nomination also was accompanied by letters written by other bar association executives and members of the CCBA. One member noted, �Eugene stands as an amazingly rich resource on the past and present practice of law in Centre County�his continuing contributions to the CCBA and to the profession as a lawyer, citizen and human being, not only belie his age, but warrant the recognition of his peers.�

Lederer is a 52-year member of the CCBA. He served as president of the association from 1978-1980 and as its first executive director from 1996-1999. Since his retirement, he has held the title of executive director emeritus. Lederer is credited with turning the CCBA into �an operating organization.� He initiated the association�s newsletter, local continuing legal education activities and its annual Bench-Bar Conference. He worked to provide legal resources to the community by starting a speakers' bureau, senior expo and job fairs for students.

During his career, Lederer was involved actively in the CCBL and served as a panelist for programs geared to county bar associations. He also was able to implement resources and ideas from the CCBL at the local level. These resources included a system for evaluating local judicial candidates and a legal �road show� for the public.