September 28, 2004 MEDIA RELEASE
New Hanover County Bar Association presents Pro Bono Awards
(Wilmington, NC) - At a luncheon today in Wilmington, the New
Hanover County Bar Association and
Legal Aid of North Carolina-Wilmington Office presented Pro Bono Awards to area attorneys who have
contributed to providing free civil legal service to low income individuals and
organizations.
Kelly C. Hanley, Trial Court Administrator for the 5th Judicial District was
recognized for her dedication and presentations to quarterly family law clinics
held through Legal Aid in cooperation with the Wilmington YWCA Resource Center
for the last two-plus years, while she was family court administrator for the
5th Judicial District.
Christopher Leonard, with the law firm of Murchison Taylor Gibson PLLC, has
provided pro bono legal assistance to family members in guardianship cases, low
income estate planning cases and participated in an elder Law presentation at
the New Hanover County Department of Aging.
The law firm of Block, Crouch and Keeter has continuously contributed to the
Legal Aid’s Pro Bono Program. This award recognizes particular contribution by
two of the firm’s attorneys Christopher Behm and Linda Sayed.
Behm assisted individual clients with housing issues and represented Helping
Our Latin Americans, known as HOLA, in incorporating a nonprofit corporation.
Sayed assisted numerous clients with guardianships and powers of attorney.
Robin Wicks Robinson, partner in Ryals Robinson and Saffo, has throughout her
career contributed pro bono time to needy individuals in New Hanover County and
most significantly in the area of family law. In addition to providing
direct representation of individuals, this certified family law practitioner
participated in five family law clinics in New Hanover County in the last two
years as a presenter. Robinson is this year’s winner of the Addison Hewlett
Award, presented in sponsorship by the New Hanover County Bar Association and
Legal Aid of North Carolina, Inc.-Wilmington Office.
The Addison Hewlett, Jr. Award is given for outstanding pro bono service to
acknowledge and honor that attorney who has demonstrated noble and selfless
dedication to the promotion equal justice for indigents in New Hanover County,
NC. The special recognition reflects the achievement, hope and inspiration
exemplified in this community by the skillful, kind and gentle, spirit of its
namesake.
Addison Hewlett, Jr. was a local attorney whom attorneys should aspire to
model. All the award winners model such stellar character, live up to the Code
of Professional Responsibility and serve their own community well.
The keynote luncheon address was presented by attorney Allan Head, executive
director of the NC Bar
Association. Head’s inspirational words of wisdom emphasized the importance
of attorneys doing "no harm" in their practice. How an attorney practices law
affects their honesty and integrity, influences their profession and states
whether they contribute to their community in a charitable manner. An
attorney living up to "no harm" would practice law with the values of honesty,
integrity, an obligation to the community and the disenfranchised and promoting
the positive aspects of the profession.
Contacts: Richard M. Klein (Senior Managing Attorney)
Legal Aid of North Carolina-Wilmington Office
910-763-6207
Roselle E. Margolis (PAI Coordinator)
Legal Aid of North Carolina-Wilmington Office
910-763-6207
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Legal Aid of North Carolina is a statewide, nonprofit law firm that
provides free legal services in civil matters to low-income people in
order to ensure equal access to justice and to remove legal barriers
to economic opportunity.