Foundation Honors Three Exemplary Lawyers
The Michigan State Bar Foundation is pleased to announce our 2020 Award Recipients. The Founders Award recognizes lawyers who exemplify professional excellence and outstanding community contributions. The Access to Justice Award honors persons who significantly advanced access to justice for the poor in Michigan. The awards will be presented during the Michigan State Bar Foundation’s Fellows Reception being held virtually on September 23, 2020.
FOUNDERS AWARD
Chief Justice Bridget Mary McCormack and Justice Brian K. Zahra
Chief Justice Bridget Mary McCormack has provided significant leadership to ensure that everyone, regardless of income, receives access to justice. Chief Justice McCormack is a national leader and regularly recognized for her innovation and leadership. She has led the courts through the Coronavirus pandemic to try new technology that will ultimately provide greater access to the courts. Chief Justice McCormack has promoted statewide initiatives devoted to improving the courts service to the public, and in particular, delivering on a promise that courts are independent, accessible, engaged with their communities and efficient. In 2019, Chief Justice McCormack launched the most comprehensive effort to improve on access to justice in Michigan, the Justice for All Task Force. Other successful initiatives led by Chief Justice McCormack include the Michigan Joint Task Force on Jail and Pretrial Incarceration, Online Dispute Resolution throughout Michigan’s courts, and Michigan’s participation in the Regional Judicial Opioid Initiative (RJOI). Chief Justice McCormack exemplifies the Founders Award criteria of professional excellence and outstanding community contributions.
Justice Brian K. Zahra has served on the courts since January 14, 2011 and was appointed in April 2019 to the Justice For All Task Force to develop a plan that moves Michigan toward a more accessible civil justice system in which everyone has access to useful information and effective assistance needed to resolve their concerns quickly and affordably. Justice Zahra has been actively participating in Town Hall meetings, Task Force meetings and Planning Team meetings to move the work of the Task Force forward. He volunteered to participate in the effort because of the tremendous need for civil legal aid for the poor. Justice Zahra is the court’s liaison to the Michigan’s Board of Law Examiners and is dedicated to ensuring that new lawyers have the requisite knowledge of state law to become of a member of the Michigan bar. Justice Zahra has served on many professional and legislative committees, including the Michigan Civil Jury Instructions Committee, the Circuit Court Appellate Rules Committee, the Domestic Violence Legislation Implementation Task Force, and the advisory committee for the Michigan Judicial Institute Domestic Violence Benchbook. Justice Zahra is also active in many civic and charitable organizations. Justice Zahra embodies the Founders Award criteria of professional excellence and outstanding community contributions.
ACCESS TO JUSTICE AWARD
James A. Keedy
James (Jim) Keedy served as the director of Michigan Indian Legal Services for 30 years, from 1988 – 2018. He began his public interest career in 1977, as VISTA attorney for legal aid. He is the past chair and member of the Indian Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan, a member of the State Bar’s American Indian Law Committee and formerly ex-officio member of the Steering Committee and Treasurer of the National Association of Indian Legal Services. He is the 2004 recipient of the American Indian Law Section Tecumseh Peacekeeping Award, the 2018 recipient of the Parent Attorney of the Year Award by the Michigan Foster Care Review Board, and the 2018 recipient of the National Legal Aid and Defenders Association Pierce-Hickerson Award. Mr. Keedy devoted his career to ensuring access to justice for under-served populations.
Foundation President Edward Pappas congratulates the award recipients, “The Michigan State Bar Foundation is very pleased to recognize the contributions of these award recipients. We are especially grateful for the court’s leadership on access to justice and our tremendous legal aid programs and leaders.”
Past recipients of the Founders Award have include Dennis Archer, Wallace Riley, Charles Rutherford, Former Judge Julian Cook, Patrick Bruetsch, Kim Cahill, Judge Avern Cohn, John W. Cummiskey, Former Judge Hilda Gage, Former Judge Harold Hood, Jon Muth and George Googasian, Linda Rexer, Thomas Linn and Former Judge Alfred Butzbaugh. Past recipients of the Access to Justice Award have included Robert Gillett, Candace Crowley, Hon. Chad Schmucker, Michael Chielens, Holli Wallace, Marilyn Mullane, Angela Tripp and Michigan Legal Help and Ari Scharg and Edelson PC, Lorray Brown and Bradley Gayton, Ford Motor Company.
The Michigan State Bar Foundation provides leadership and grants to improve access for all in the justice system, including support for civil legal aid to the poor, law-related education, and conflict resolution. For more information, visit www.msbf.org.