Professionalism Page
| Publication year | 2023 |
| Citation | Vol. 28 No. 6 Pg. 0064 |
| Pages | 0064 |
Professionalism Page
23rd Annual Justice Robert Benham Awards for Community Service
The Chief Justice's Commission on Professionalism is pleased to recognize lawyers and judges who have made significant contributions to their communities and who demonstrate the positive contributions of members of the Bar beyond their legal or official work.
BY KARLISE Y. GRIER
Chief Justice Michael P. Boggs, along with former Chief Justice Robert Benham, joined more than 100 attorneys and Georgia community members at the Nathan Deal Judicial Center in March for the 23rd Annual Justice Robert Benham Awards for Community Service hosted by the ChiefJustice's Commission on Professionalism (the Commission). Since 1998, the Benham Awards have honored lawyers and judges in Georgia who have made significant contributions to their communities and who demonstrate the positive contributions of members of the Bar beyond their legal or official work. Service may be made in any field, including but not limited to: social service, education, faith-based efforts, sports, recreation, the arts or politics. The Selection Committee generally believes that community or public service is not service to a bar association; however, community service can be done through bar-sponsored or related activities or projects. Historically, the Benham Awards Selection Committee has accepted nominations for this prestigious statewide award from each of Georgia's 10 judicial districts, and the awards have been presented to selected attorneys in the judicial districts from which nominations were received. The award that is still given to award recipients was designed in 1998 by Patrise Perkins-Hooker, who at that time, was a member of the Benham Awards Selection Committee. Perkins-Hooker later went on to serve as the first African American president of the State Bar of Georgia in 2014-15.
The Lifetime Achievement Award is the highest recognition given by the Commission and is reserved for a lawyer or judge who, in addition to meeting the criteria for receiving the Justice Robert Benham Award for Community Service, has demonstrated an extraordinarily long and distinguished commitment to volunteer participation in the community throughout their legal career.
In 2023, the Commission awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award to J. Michael Levengood, founding member, Law Office of J. Michael Levengood, LLC, Lawrenceville. The 2023 district award recipients were: Mary T. Benton, pro bono partner, Alston & Bird LLP, Atlanta; Simon H. Bloom, founding partner, Bloom Parham, LLP, Atlanta; Hon. Ronald J. Freeman Sr., managing member, Johnson & Freeman, LLC, Historic Union City; Elicia N. Hargrove, assistant district attorney, Henry County District Attorney's Office, McDonough; Edward H. Lindsey Jr., partner, Dentons US LLP, Atlanta; Jason Banks Moon, Moon Law Firm, Valdosta; Wallace H. Wright, Wright & Edwards, P.C., Metter. All award recipients are members of the State Bar of Georgia.
This year's ceremony was successful due to the hard work of many individuals whom I would like to thank. First, the Commission appreciates the work of the Benham Awards Selection Committee members who determined the award recipients: Committee Chair Hon. Joy Lampley-Fortson, U.S. Department of Justice, Atlanta; Hon. Joshua Clark Bell, Bell/Payne, LLC, Whigham; John Michael Dugan, DRL Law LLC, Greensboro; Jena G. Emory...
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