HARRISBURG (Feb. 28, 2014) - The Pennsylvania Bar Association presented County Bar Recognition Awards during the 48th Annual Seminar of the Conference of County Bar Leaders, Feb. 27 - March 1, at The Nittany Lion Inn, State College. Twenty-five county bar associations in Pennsylvania were honored this year for sponsoring projects that improve the legal profession, justice system and community. The awards, which are non-competitive in nature, are presented annually by the Pennsylvania Bar Association.

"Our communities and legal professionals benefit greatly from the thousands of voluntary hours that hardworking lawyers invest each year into local programs and services,"said Forest N. Myers. "We are proud to acknowledge their efforts and encourage even more legal professionals to take part in the ongoing good works of the organized bar."

The following local bar associations received awards for notable projects and programs:

Allegheny County Bar Association: "Back to the Bar"Pilot Program
Beaver County Bar Association: Young Lawyers Division - Volunteer Recognition and Adaptive Bike Donation
Berks County Bar Association: Solo and Small Practice Conference
Bucks County Bar Association: Pro Bono Vendors Fair - How Can We Help
Butler County Bar Association: "Think Like a Bad Guy"Program, Coffee with the Judges, Children and Youth Backpack Program
Centre County Bar Association: Centre County Bar Association Fund, "Bridge the Gap"Presentation and Stewards of Children Training
Chester County Bar Association: The "Grand"Challenge and Passing the Gavel Ceremony
Cumberland County Bar Association: "The Lifelong Impact of a Criminal Record"and Program, Law Day 2013 - "Modern Day Slavery: Exploitation in the 21st Century"
Dauphin County Bar Association: Veterans Disability Appeals Lawyer Referral Program
Delaware County Bar Association: Landlord/Tenant Workshops and Orphans' Court CLE Series
Erie County Bar Association: Strategic Planning, Phase Two, ECBA Online CLE and Fee Dispute Process Revisions
Franklin County Bar Association: Juror Appreciation Day and Bench Bar Conference
Lackawanna Bar Association: Thomas M. Holmes, Esq. Bench Bar Conference
Lancaster Bar Association: Building Repairs
Lawrence County Bar Association: Law Day CLE 2013
Lebanon County Bar Association: Adopt-a-Family, Law Day Essay Contest and Law Explorers
Lycoming Law Association: Law Day 2013, PLAN Excellence Award: Excellent Pro Bono Participation, U.S. Supreme Court Admission
Montgomery Bar Association: Giving Tuesday - Promoting Awareness of Justice-related Causes, Courting Art - 'What I Love about Montgomery County' and SIDEBAR Rejuvenation
Northampton County Bar Association: The Pro Bono Effect and Miracle League Softball Game
Pike County Bar Association: Fill the County Food Banks, Challenger League Baseball Sponsorship and Center for Developmental Disabilities
Schuylkill County Bar Association: Help for the Holidays, Distracted Driver Awareness Program and Young Lawyer Division 'Lunch and Learn' Sessions
Washington County Bar Association: Limited Representation Custody Program and Pro Bono Celebration
Westmoreland Bar Association: Marketing Coach, Trends of Nonprofits Training and Quest Summer Law Camp
Wilkes-Barre Law & Library Association: Federal Practice Committee and Federal Admissions, Lawyers' Golf Tournament and Charitable Fundraiser and Youth Suicide Prevention and Anti-bullying Community Program
York County Bar Association: 'Wills for Heroes' Program, Impact Grants and Scholarships Program and Bar Stools Presents, 'CinderLawyer'

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 27,000 lawyers who are members of the association.