HARRISBURG (March 27, 2015) - The Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) Children's Rights Committee has named Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas Judge Eleanor L. Bush as its Child Advocate of the Year.

Bush will receive the award at a luncheon ceremony during the committee's spring training program, "Current Issues for Child Advocates 2015," taking place April 24 at the Pennsylvania Bar Institute (PBI) in Mechanicsburg.

The award recognizes the accomplishments of lawyers and judges who are advocates for children within the commonwealth or who are involved with child advocacy.

Over the course of her career, Bush has trained hundreds of lawyers, legislators, health care professionals and social workers, advised government agencies on serving children and families, and represented children in foster care.

Prior to joining the bench of the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas in January of 2014, Bush was a legal training specialist for eight years with Family Design Resources. She also served as an independent consultant for the American Bar Association Center on Children and the Law, the legal director for KidsVoice, a staff attorney and the acting co-director of the Juvenile Law Center, and an assistant counsel for the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Bush is the current vice chair of the PBA Children's Rights Committee.

She has been a member of the Children in Managed Care Initiative National Advisory Committee, a member of the Pennsylvania Joint State Government Commission Advisory Committee on Services to Children and Youth and chair of the PBA Children's Rights Committee's Legislative Action Subcommittee.

Bush holds an undergraduate degree from Yale University, a juris doctor from Yale Law School and a master of public policy and management degree from Yale School of Management.

In addition to the presentation of the award to Bush, the full-day training program will include a case law update, advice for engaging disconnected youth, a summary of changes in the Child Protective Services Law and tools to work effectively with LGBTQ youth in juvenile court. To learn more about the session, go to PBI's website at www.pbi.org.

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 27,000 lawyers who are members of the association.