HARRISBURG (Feb. 27, 2009) - The Conference of County Bar Leaders (CCBL) of the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) has honored Don Morgan, executive director of the Dauphin County Bar Association, with its 12th annual Arthur J. Birdsall Award during the 43rd Annual Seminar of the Conference of County Bar Leaders in State College, Pa.

The award is presented to a county bar executive who demonstrates professional excellence, who is committed to the success of his or her bar association and who significantly enhances the stature of his or her bar association. The award is named in honor of Arthur J. Birdsall, the PBA's county bar services director who retired after nearly 40 years of support to local bar associations.

Morgan has served as executive director of the Dauphin County Bar Association since 1998.

Programs initiated during Morgan's tenure at the association include Capitol Area Management Partners, an intern program working to diversify the local legal community. The association has rallied support of lawyers, law firms and the Lancaster Bar Association to ensure the program's success.

Morgan established joint dinners with the Keystone Bar Association, oversaw the launch of the Senior Lawyers Section for lawyers 55 and older. He also continually reaches out to young lawyers to participate in association programs.

Morgan helped to streamline and increase the effectiveness of the association's lawyer referral service, oversaw improvements in the association's database management system and updates in technology for association staff and promoted expansion of the association's Web site.

The Conference of County Bar Leaders, whose membership includes leaders from county bar associations throughout the state and from the Pennsylvania Bar Association, organizes a yearly educational conference focusing on the exchange of innovative bar association projects and ideas and on the development of mutually-beneficial relationships among bar leaders that improve the legal profession.

Founded in 1895, the Pennsylvania Bar Association strives to promote justice, professional excellence and respect for the law; improve public understanding of the legal system; facilitate access to legal services; and serve the 29,000 lawyers who are members of the association.