HARRISBURG (July 17, 2006) � The Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) recently presented Special Achievement, Pro Bono, Pro Bono Judges�, Civil Legal Aid Attorney of the Year, Fifty-Year Member and President awards to Pennsylvania lawyers for their legal assistance to the poor, outstanding leadership in the legal profession and longstanding membership in the association. The awards were presented during the association�s Annual Meeting in Hershey. The PBA Special Achievement awards recognize those lawyers who have donated resources and time to the improvement of the association and the legal profession. The PBA Pro Bono awards are presented to lawyers who have committed themselves to the cause of pro bono. Through legal services offices, local bar associations and community organizations, these lawyers work to provide free legal services to the poor. The PBA Fifty-Year Member awards are presented to lawyers who have been association members for 50 years. The President Awards, bestowed at the discretion of the PBA president, recognize extraordinary commitment to the association. The award winners are as follows:

Allegheny County
Wiley A. Bucey Jr.: Fifty-Year Member Award
Carl Cooper: Special Achievement Award � for service as chair of the PBA Leadership Diversity Task Force, which was charged with making recommendations to enhance geographic, gender and racial diversity in PBA leadership
Sylvia Denys: Pro Bono Award � for providing legal support to Neighborhood Legal Services, Uptown Legal Clinic, the Asylum Project, the Pittsburgh Aids Task Force and the Pittsburgh Regional Immigration group housed at the Jewish Community Center, Squirrel Hill
Andrea Geraghty: Special Achievement Award � for leadership as co-chair of the Membership Committee of the PBA Commission on Women in the Profession
Daniel L. Haller: Civil Aid Attorney of the Year Award � for commitment to representing the indigent in civil proceedings
Ira C. Houck Jr.: Fifty-Year Member Award
Hon. Livingston M. Johnson, Court of Common Pleas, Fifth Judicial District: Pro Bono Judges� Award � for his commitment to equality for minorities and women
Alan Z. Lefkowitz: Fifty-Year Member Award John R. McGinley Jr.: Special Achievement Award � for leadership as a co-chair of the PBA Public Service Institute Task Force, which was charged with designing, planning, and executing three one-day events to increase awareness of the role of lawyers in the civic life of the nation
Pittsburgh Pro Bono Partnership: Pro Bono Award � for increasing attorney and paralegal pro bono services in southwestern Pennsylvania
Melanie Shannon Rothey of Raphael, Ramsden & Behrs P.C.: Pro Bono Award � for assisting 60 clients, offering more than 80 hours of pro bono services and providing legal counsel through the Family Law Clinic of the Neighborhood Legal Services Association
Shawn N. Wright: Pro Bono Award � for ongoing support of client referrals from Neighborhood Legal Services on matters related to bankruptcy

Beaver County
John L. Walter Jr. of McNees Autenreith Rockley Walker & Carr: Pro Bono Award � for providing more than 80 hours of pro bono services and handling reduced-fee bankruptcy cases

Berks County
David J. Batdorf: Fifty-Year Member Award
Thomas Golden: Special Achievement Award � for outstanding service as co-chair of the PBA County Bar Legislative Relations Task Force
Paul H. Herbein of Paul Herbein & Associates: Pro Bono Award � for ongoing participation in the Pro Bono Bankruptcy Panel of MidPenn Legal Services and willingness to provide legal support for complex emergency cases

Bucks County
Andrew Young of England and Young: Pro Bono Award � for providing more than 80 hours of pro bono services for domestic matters of clients referred by Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania Bucks County Division

Butler County
Norman D. Jaffe: Fifty-Year Member Award
Marion Laffey-Ferry: Pro Bono Award � for providing hundreds of hours of pro bono and reduced-fee services and encouraging other attorneys to volunteer their time to support those in need of legal counsel

Carbon County
William Z. Scott Jr.: President�s Award � for outstanding leadership efforts in chairing a special PBA task force charged with conducting a comprehensive survey of PBA membership

Centre County
Rosadele Kauffman of Delafield McGee Jones & Kauffman: Pro Bono Award � for providing legal advice on property settlement issues and divorce matters for clients of legal aid in Centre County and serving as mediator for the Center for Alternatives in Community Justice

Chester County
W. Thomas Berriman: Fifty-Year Member Award
Albert P. Massey: President�s Award � for outstanding leadership efforts in chairing the Pennsylvania Bar Insurance Fund and Trust from 2004 to 2006
Elizabeth Silvia Wood of Gawthrop, Greenwood & Halsted P.C.: Pro Bono Award � for providing more than 100 hours of pro bono services related to child custody and support matters at Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania

Clinton County
Paul Welch of Coploff Ryan & Welch: Pro Bono Award – for support of Neighborhood Legal Services’ Judicare Referral Program, willingness to accept emergency cases, and providing representation for victims of domestic violence

Cumberland County
Valerie Faden: Pro Bono Award – for conducting divorce clinics for MidPenn Legal Services, supporting the efforts of the Cumberland County Bar Association, and serving as volunteer mediator and facilitator for the Dauphin Council Civil Dispute Resolution Program and Lancaster Mediation Center
Katherine Pearson: Special Achievement Award – for extraordinary legislative efforts in 2005 on behalf of the PBA Elder Law Section.
Richard B. Wickersham: Fifty-Year Member Award

Dauphin County
Eric Brossman: Special Achievement Award – for leadership in the area of legislation related to limited liability companies
Hon. John C. Dowling: Fifty-Year Member Award
Amy L. Groff of Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Nicolson Graham LLP: Pro Bono Award – for devoting more than 150 hours of pro bono representation during an inmate’s appeal before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
Hon. Judge Richard A. Lewis, Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas: Pro Bono Judges’ Award – for vocal and visible leadership in promoting pro bono service for those in need and formation of task force to design a program to assist pro se litigants
Amy J. Mendelsohn: Special Achievement Award – for leadership as a co-chair of the PBA Public Service Institute Task Force, which was charged with designing, planning, and executing three one-day events to increase awareness of the role of lawyers in the civic life of the nation
Howell C. Mette: Fifty-Year Member Award
Michael T. Morris: Fifty-Year Member Award
Heather L. Paterno of Goldberg Katzman: Pro Bono Award – for commitment of service to the Dauphin County Bar Association and provision of family legal services
Tyrone A. Powell: Special Achievement Award – for leadership in chairing a Pennsylvania Bar Foundation committee that revamped the Foundation’s scholarship program and earmarked half of the annual awards for support of minority law students
John W. Purcell: Fifty-Year Member Award

Delaware County
William Cornell Archbold Jr.: Fifty-Year Member Award
James C. Buckley: Fifty-Year Member Award
Carpenter Dewey: Fifty-Year Member Award
Craig Huffman of Eckell Sparks Levy Aerbach Monte Rainer & Sloane: Pro Bono Award – for dedicating 68 hours of support to clients of Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania
Arthur Levy: Fifty-Year Member Award
James L. Shea: Fifty-Year Member Award
George G. Young Jr.: Fifty-Year Member Award

Erie County
Tammy Lamary: Pro Bono Award – for 293 hours of pro bono services in the areas of family law and unemployment compensation

Franklin County
John M. Sharpe Jr.: Fifty-Year Member Award
Patricia Shoap of Shoap Law Offices: Pro Bono Award – for ongoing service as board member of MidPenn Legal Services and pro bono support to the county’s low income residents

Huntingdon County
Harvey B. Reeder: Pro Bono Award – for consistent support to the legal needs of the indigent and providing leadership to MidPenn Legal Services through representation on its board

Indiana County
Joseph N. Mack: Fifty-Year Member Award
W. Parker Ruddock: Fifty-Year Member Award

Lackawanna County
Law firm of Abrahamsen, Moran & Conaboy: Pro Bono Award – for involving each firm attorney in pro bono efforts and providing expertise in child custody, divorce, landlord-tenant and license suspension
Michael J. Marrazzo: Pro Bono Award – for outstanding commitment to Lackawanna Pro Bono Inc. and representation of clients in matters related to custody, visitation and protection from abuse
David J. Reedy Jr.: Fifty-Year Member Award

Lancaster County
Patricia Dunlevy: Pro Bono Award – for dedicating approximately 100 hours to the Volunteer Attorney Program of the Lancaster Bar Association
Robert M. Going: Fifty-Year Member Award
Paul A. Mueller Jr.: Fifty-Year Member Award

Lawrence County
Jonathon Solomon: Pro Bono Award – for working with clients of Neighborhood Legal Services by preparing protection from abuse documents, creating wills and providing legal advice

Lebanon County
Loreen Burkett of Keys & Burkett: Pro Bono Award – for 15 years of support to MidPenn Legal Services by meeting with clients and conducting custody clinics
Henry J. Steiner: Fifty-Year Member Award

Lehigh County
James D. Christie: Fifty-Year Member Award

Lycoming County
J. Michael Wiley of Raup & Wiley: Pro Bono Award – for services to the Neighborhood Legal Services’ Protection from Abuse Panel and many years of pro bono support to clients in need

Monroe County
James F. Marsh: Special Achievement Award – for outstanding service as vice chair and co-chair of the PBA Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee

Montgomery County
C. Dale McClain: Special Achievement Award – for leadership as chair of the PBA Young Lawyers Division Task Force
Mitchell W. Miller: Fifty-Year Member Award
Philip Salkin: Fifty-Year Member Award
Nancy Hopkins Wentz: President’s Award – for dedication and commitment in serving as president of the Pennsylvania Bar Institute for two terms
Elkins Wetherill: Fifty-Year Member Award
Charles P. Zerbe: Fifty-Year Member Award

Northampton County
Charles S. Smith: Fifty-Year Member Award

Perry County
Jerry A. Phillpott: Pro Bono Award – for dedication to the Perry County Bar Association, pro bono support, and service as a board member of MidPenn Legal Services

Philadelphia
Donald Bean: Fifty-Year Member Award
Michael A. Bloom: President’s Award – for demonstrating professionalism, dedication and commitment to duty as the long-time chair of the PBA Judicial Evaluation Commission
Jacob Cohn of Cozen O’Connor: Pro Bono Award – for dedicating more than 200 hours of time to cases from the Aids Law Project on issues related to asylum matters, prisoner civil rights, ACLU research assignments, contract disputes and insurance policy disputes
Samuel Diamond: Fifty-Year Member Award
Sharon Dietrich of Community Legal Services: Civil Legal Aid Attorney of the Year Award – for serving as managing attorney of the employment unit at CLS, serving as a part-time staffer for the National Employment Law Project and serving as co-chair of the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network Statewide Employment Task Force
Alvin H. Dorksy: Fifty-Year Member Award
Dover Intelligent Design Team of Pepper Hamilton: Pro Bono Award – to Erich Rothschild and Stephen G. Harvey for serving as lead counsel for the plaintiff families in the landmark Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District case which challenged inclusion of “intelligent design” in high school science curriculum
Charles Eppolito III: Special Achievement Award - for leadership of the PBA Annual Meeting Task Force
Hon. Kathy Manderino: President’s Award – for invaluable contributions to the PBA Board of Governors as both a lawyer and a member of the Pennsylvania legislature
Hon. Kathy Manderino: Special Achievement Award – for leadership as a co-chair of the PBA Public Service Institute Task Force, which was charged with designing, planning, and executing three one-day events to increase awareness of the role of lawyers in the civic life of the nation
Suzanne Mayes: Special Achievement Award – for leadership as co-chair of the Membership Committee of the PBA Commission on Women in the Profession
James J. McCabe Jr.: Fifty-Year Member Award
Kathy E. Ochroch of Blank Rome L.L.P.: Pro Bono Award – for steadfast commitment to public interest organizations and provision of pro bono services
Thomas N. O’Neill Jr.: Fifty-Year Member Award
David Pelletier of Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis L.L.P.: Pro Bono Award – for providing more than 300 hours of pro bono services to those in need of legal assistance with civil rights and homeless advocacy matters
Michelle Piscopo of Blank Rome: Pro Bono Award – for dedicating more than 200 hours of pro bono services to represent a prisoner on Pennsylvania’s death row in Post-Conviction Relief Act proceedings and handling family law cases through the Volunteers for the Indigent Program
Karen Pieslak Pohlmann of Morgan, Lewis & Buckius L.L.P.: Pro Bono Award – for providing 114 hours of pro bono service to children’s rights and dependency litigation and advocacy
Franklin Poul: Fifty-Year Member Award
Marsha A. Sajer of Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Nicholson Graham L.L.P.: Pro Bono Award – for providing more than 100 hours of pro bono service to civil rights and veteran benefit matters
Philip M. Shiekman: Fifty-Year Member Award
Samuel W. Silver of Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis L.L.P.: Pro Bono Award – for providing 150 hours of free legal assistance through the firm’s pro bono program and handling matters pertaining to capital punishment and prisoner civil rights
Keith E. Smith of DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary US L.L.P.: Pro Bono Award – for serving as one of the lead attorneys on two complex pro bono cases and support of a non-profit organization that assists senior citizens
Heather Steinmiller of Blank Rome L.L.P.: Pro Bono Award – for services to the Support Center for Child Advocates, Capital Habeus Unit, Homeless Advocacy Project and Philadelphia Bar Association and for counseling Hurricane Katrina evacuees
Ellen Wase: Special Achievement Award – for extraordinary legislative efforts in 2005 on behalf of the PBA Elder Law Section
Brian L. Watson of Morgan Lewis & Bockius L.L.P.: Pro Bono Award – for dedicating 88 hours of pro bono services last year and more than 700 hours in the last five years in support of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society
William A. Whiteside Jr.: Fifty-Year Member Award
Janis Wilson: Special Achievement Award – for leadership as chair of the PBA Civil Litigation Section and outstanding work on legislation related to joint and several liability

Schuylkill County
Chester Corse: Special Achievement Award – for outstanding service as co-chair of the PBA County Bar Legislative Relations Task Force
Eric M. Lieberman of Zimmerman, Lieberman & Tamulonis: Pro Bono Award – for participating in the pro bono program of the Schuylkill County Bar Association and willingness to help clients on short notice

Westmoreland County
John Eric Bumbaugh: Pro Bono Award – for dedicating 275 hours of service to help those in need, including those in need of legal counsel related to bankruptcy
Robert J. Milie: Fifty-Year Member Award

Wyoming County
Catherine J. Garbus: Pro Bono Award – for providing 50 hours of service to clients in matters pertaining to child custody, divorce, protection from abuse, dependence, support and elder law through the Wyoming/Sullivan County Pro Bono Program and for providing free legal services to Dietrich Theatre, Habitat for Humanity and Wyoming Cares
Gerald Grimaud: Special Achievement Award – for decades of service to the Pennsylvania Bar Association Media Response team as a resource on legal issues for the state’s news media

York County
Albert G. Blakey: Fifty-Year Member Award
Donn I. Cohen: Fifty-Year Member Award
Muriel Crabbs of Crabbs & Crabbs: Pro Bono Award – for providing legal guidance with social security matters to MidPenn Legal Services’ clients and donating fees back to the organization
Harry L. McNeal Jr.: Fifty-Year Member Award
Harry J. Rubin: Fifty-Year Member Award
Lawrence Young of CGA Law Firm: Pro Bono Award – for providing 115 hours, advocating for the pro bono program of the York County Bar Foundation and York County Bar Association, teaching continuing legal education programs to pro bono attorneys and serving on numerous legal service boards