Indiana Pro Bono Commission Recognizes Contributions To Pro Bono with Annual Randall T. Shepard Award

The Indiana Pro Bono Commission recognized two Indiana individuals with its Randall T. Shepard Award for their commitment and contributions to the pro bono movement in Indiana. Sherry Clarke of Mishawaka and Dana Kenworthy of Marion were presented the award during a dinner on Friday, October 6 th at the Indianapolis Marriott Downtown. Recipients of the Law-Related Education and Pro Bono Publico awards from the Indiana Bar Foundation were also be honored for their achievements.

Sherry Clarke (right)

Clarke was selected for demonstrating an unwavering dedication to the development and delivery of legal services to the poor of Indiana. She was the plan administrator for the District 2 Pro Bono Legal Services Committee from its inception in 2001 until her recent retirement in April. During her tenure as plan administrator, Clarke worked with committee members of the Indiana State Bar Association and other plan administrators of the 14 pro bono districts throughout Indiana to organize the first Talk to a Lawyer program. She also worked closely with the Pro Bono Committee of the St. Joseph County Bar Association to develop and implement its Modest Means program. The program matches clients of modest, yet non-poverty, means with an attorney at a reduced rate of compensation serving a growing population whose needs until that time had not been addressed. Clarke was nominated by Mary J. Anderson, her successor as plan administrator of District 2 Pro Bono Legal Services Committee serving St. Joseph, Elkhart, Marshall and Kosciusko counties.

Dana Kenworthy (right)

Kenworthy was acknowledged for her tireless efforts to ensure legal services are possible for those in need of assistance demonstrating hard work, dedication and care for the people in her community. She currently serves as a Grant County Deputy Prosecutor as well as volunteers her time as the chairperson of the Grant County Pro Bono Committee and the president of the Grant County Bar Association. Kenworthy worked closely with judges and mediators to develop a pro bono mediation program in Grant County, recruits attorneys to participate in pro bono activities and annually organizes the district's Talk to a Lawyer Day. Sh e was nominated by District Six Access to Justice and its plan administrator, Marianne Legge. District Six Access to Justice pro bono program serves Madison, Grant, Blackford, Jay, Delaware, Henry and Randolph counties.

The Randall T. Shepard Award for excellence in pro bono publico is named in honor of Randall T. Shepard, the Chief Justice of the Indiana Supreme Court and given by the Indiana Pro Bono Commission to honor his vision and leadership in pro bono in Indiana. Created in 2002, six individuals have earned the distinction of the Shepard Award including: Hon. L. Mark Bailey, David Remondini, Hon. David J. Dreyer, Richard P. Komyatte, Amy Applegate, and Richard Hughes.

The Pro Bono Publico Award presented by the Indiana Bar Foundation recognizes the extraordinary contributions that are made toward ensuring that legal services are available to persons who otherwise could not afford them and serves to focus public awareness on the substantial voluntary services rendered annually by Indiana lawyers. The award winners are:

• Darrel Dolan, Indianapolis, for donating his time to the Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic to mentor other attorneys and handling bankruptcy and consumer debt cases.
• Linda Kelly Hill, Indiana University School of Law – Indianapolis, for being an active advocate for immigrant rights and educator supervising students on immigration issue cases.
• Lance Wonderlin, Indianapolis, for donating his time to the Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic on family law pro bono cases as well as volunteering time as the intake attorney at the NCLC's Noblesville location.
• Elaine Waterhouse Wilson, Barnes & Thornburg, Indianapolis, for advising the Indiana Bar Foundation, the Indiana Pro Bono Commission and the statewide pro bono districts on non-profit legal and tax issues including presenting a seminar to the pro bono district coordinators on these issues.
• Patricia McKinnon, Baker Pittman & Page, Indianapolis, for her efforts to create a family law DVD to help non-family law attorneys learn the basics of handling a family law matter, especially in a pro bono capacity.

The Law-Related Education Award acknowledges lawyers, law firms or bar organizations for excellence in providing information that enhances the public's understanding of the law and the legal system. Those receiving this award were:

• Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic, Indianapolis, for its efforts to introduce the homeless and low-income immigrant community to the legal system to help the vulnerable find help and hope.
• Matthew Gutwein, Health & Hospital Corporation of Marion County, Indianapolis, for his dedication and service to law-related education and particularly your involvement with the We The People program and its expansion.

James Whitesell, Indiana Continuing Legal Education Forum (ICLEF), Indianapolis, was also recognized by the Indiana Bar Foundation as someone that has made extraordinary efforts to support it and its mission to advance the administration of justice and the public's understanding of the law.

Chief Justice Randall T. Shepard (left) with Governor Roy Barnes

The guest speaker at the dinner was former Georgia Governor Roy Barnes. As a life-long public servant, Barnes chose to volunteer his legal expertise serving as a volunteer staff attorney for the Atlanta Legal Aid Society for six months following his term as governor. For his dedication and commitment to pro bono he was honored with the Pro Bon Publico Award from the ABA. Gov. Barnes spoke about his experiences serving the community as a volunteer and advocate of pro bono contributions.

Read "Pro bono fulfills 'public contract'" by Bill Brooks, from the December 2006 issue of Res Gestae. (PDF)