Sandra Day O’Connor Award For Professional Service
Catina R. Drywater, Esquire
DHS Child Support Services – Tulsa, Oklahoma
Ms. Drywater is a Native American (Cherokee Tribe) who is currently a staff attorney with the Oklahoma Department of Human Services/Child Support Division in Tulsa, Oklahoma. While a NAPIL Fellow at LSEO she drafted numerous brochures to assist pro se litigants through such difficult areas of law as housing, debt collection, bankruptcy, and family issues. Ms. Drywater created a pro se divorce clinic while at legal aid which was operated after hours to accommodate work schedules for the working poor. Ms. Drywater's commitment to expanding access to our system of justice is what makes her who she is - a tireless advocate for those who would otherwise have less of a voice.
A. Sherman Christensen Award
The Honorable Ruth McGregor
Former Chief Justice of Arizona Supreme Court – Phoenix, Arizona
Justice McGregor just recently retired as Chief Justice of Arizona Supreme Court. As a Master of the Bench and founding member of the Sandra Day O'Connor American Inn of Court, she leads by example, playing a significant role in mentoring and encouraging younger members. Justice McGregor has given generously of her time and abilities to the American Inns of Court movement by serving in numerous leadership positions at the local and national levels. Of particular significance was Justice McGregor's critical role in establishing the Sandra Day O'Connor Award for Professional Service. Justice McGregor has provided exceptional, and significant leadership within the State of Arizona and made significant contributions to the legal community on the local and national level. Justice McGregor demonstrates the distinguished leadership qualities that characterized the A. Sherman Christensen Award.
Lewis F. Powell, Jr. Award For Professionalism And Ethics
The Honorable Louis H. Pollak
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Judge Pollak is a judge on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and is also one of the country’s most respected jurists. Judge Pollak has had a lifetime of professional and personal achievements and varied services over the decades. Judge Pollak embodies the qualities of civility and excellence in all that he has accomplished as a lawyer, professor, dean and jurist. Judge Pollak dedication to the legal profession and his effective leadership by example merited this special recognition.
Warren E. Burger Prize
Professor Melissa H. Weresh
Drake University Law School – Des Moines, Iowa
Professor Weresh is Professor of Law and Director of Legal Writing at Drake University Law School. Her winning essay “I’ll Start Walking Your Way, You Start Walking Mine: Sociological Perspectives on Professional Identity Development and Influence of Generational Differences” explores the professional identity development of novice lawyers. Professor Weresh serves on the Board of Directors for the Legal Writing Institute and on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Association of Legal Writing Directors. She is the author of a textbook titled “Legal Writing: Ethical and Professional Consideration,” published by Lexis/Nexis.
The Awards will be presented at the American Inns of Court Celebration of Excellence hosted by Associate Antonin Scalia at the U.S. Supreme Court on the evening of October 17, 2009.
The Celebration of Excellence is an annual event at the U.S. Supreme Court to honor those who have contributed their time, energy, and resources to furthering the American Inns of Court movement. The evening begins with a cocktail reception, followed by a gourmet dinner in the Great Hall. After dinner the awards are presented in the courtroom. The evening is always a memorable event.