The winner of the Elam Pro Bono Award, which honors an attorney providing exemplary pro bono services, chooses a charitable organization to receive a $5,000 grant.

The winner of the Elam Pro Bono Award, which honors an attorney providing exemplary pro bono services, chooses a charitable organization to receive a $5,000 grant.

Nominations are now open to recognize a lawyer who has provided exceptional pro bono services in Ohio.

The lawyer chosen for the 2022 John and Ginny Elam Pro Bono Award will be able to designate a 501(c)(3) organization to receive a $5,000 grant from the Columbus Bar Foundation.

The Elam Pro Bono Award recognizes a lawyer’s commendable pro bono work, which may consist of:

• Pro bono representation necessary to make the system of justice available to all.
• Support to organizations that provide pro bono representation to indigent clients.
• Time and skills donated to community, governmental, and other activities that promote the common good.

Last year’s winner, Duriya Dhinojwala of Akron, was honored for her efforts to establish a pro bono committee at her law firm and for her volunteer work at Community Legal Aid Services and with the Indian-American and Asian-American community in northeast Ohio. She also founded the Neighborhood Law Clinic in downtown Akron in 2017 – a free legal clinic that has served more than 200 people.

The deadline to submit nominations for the 2022 award is June 29. The award will be presented at an Oct. 7 celebration held by the Ohio State Bar Foundation. 

Nominees will be evaluated on their history of providing, facilitating, or encouraging the delivery of pro bono services to people of limited means or to charitable, religious, civic, community, governmental, or educational organizations. The pro bono services aren’t limited to providing legal services. The candidate’s efforts should address the needs of those with limited financial resources or further an entity’s organizational purposes.

The selection committee recommends that nomination submissions discuss the magnitude of the candidate’s pro bono services, the impact of the work, the context for how the work was accomplished, and the timeframe the pro bono services were given. Nomination letters and materials that most fully explain a candidate’s background and pro bono efforts help the selection committee to choose the most compelling candidate to receive the award each year. Nominations should include a brief description of the nominee’s qualifications for the award, as well as contact information for the nominee and nominator.

To nominate an attorney, submit a nomination letter with accompanying materials to:
Marion Smithberger, Executive Director
Columbus Bar Foundation
175 S. Third Avenue
Columbus, OH 43215-5193
marion@cbalaw.org

The Elam Pro Bono Award has been presented annually since 2008 with the support of the Ohio State Bar Association, Columbus Bar Foundation, and Ohio State Bar Foundation.