HARRISBURG (Oct. 10, 2006) � Schuylkill County attorney Sudhir �Sud� R. Patel has received an Everyday Leader Award from the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA).

�Sud is active in his community, reaching out to educate area students about the law and its impact on their lives and our society,� said PBA President Kenneth J. Horoho Jr., who presented the award to Patel during a PBA dinner at the Bar Association of Lehigh County headquarters in Allentown. �He annually participates in Law Day ceremonies and he has acted as an instructor for mock trial and moot court competitions that provide opportunities to teach young people about the judicial system and the work of lawyers.�

Patel is actively involved in the Blue Mountain School District, where he supports its Eagle Foundation. The foundation increases public involvement in the schools, creates initiatives to support teachers and school personnel and encourages alumni to financially support the public school system.

Patel�s work on behalf of the Schuylkill County Bar Association is exemplary. He serves on the association�s board of directors and chairs the annual bench/bar conference, scheduling well-known speakers and informational sessions that reach local attorneys and judges.

To promote administrative efficiency in the courts and to speed resolution of disputes, Patel worked closely with members of the Schuylkill County bench to create a new mediation program to alleviate case backlogs in the court system.

Demonstrating support for fellow legal professionals, Patel and fellow partners in the firm of Riley and Fanelli P.C. host continuing legal education classes for members of the Schuylkill County Bar Association at their Pottsville offices.

Patel holds degrees from Lehigh University and the Villanova University School of Law.

�The Everyday Leader Award is given to individuals who go above and beyond, sharing their time and talent to help and support others,� said Horoho. �These unsung heroes work hard each and every day performing good works, not for personal gain or recognition, but for the right reasons�to improve the places they call home and to better Pennsylvania�s legal system. Sud is one of these �everyday leaders� and is deserving of this award in gratitude for his contributions to Schuylkill County.�

Founded in 1895, the Pennsylvania Bar Association exists to promote justice, professional excellence and respect of 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.