Champions of Equal Access to Justice to be honored for Excellence at
Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network Awards Banquet on March 28, 2017
 

The Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network, Inc. (PLAN) is honored to announce the 2017 Excellence Award winners as well as the recipient of the Outstanding Leadership in Support of Legal Services. The exceptional individuals, groups and corporation listed below have demonstrated excellence in their efforts to expand access to justice for those who have nowhere else to turn for help when facing a critical legal problem.

Each winner has been carefully selected by criteria assessing increased access to civil legal aid, excellence in advocacy, leadership, and/or innovation in service delivery.  The 2017 Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network Excellence Award Honorees are: 

• Pamela Lynn Dalton-Arlotti, Esq.
  Director of Program Performance and Compliance
  Neighborhood Legal Services Association
  Pittsburgh, PA
   
• Barbara Griffin, Esq.
  Director of the Pro Bono Center
  Allegheny County Bar Foundation
  Pittsburgh, PA
   
• Legal Aid of Southeastern PA Centralized Telephone Hotline Staff
  Nanci Hoover, Esq., Managing Attorney; Robin Babillis, Paralegal; Delores Wilson Bailey, Paralegal; Kristan Burgess, Esq, Helpline Attorney; Eleonor Glasco, Paralegal; Carolyn Hettell, Paralegal; Randall Hove, Esq. Helpline Attorney:  Pamela Manning, Support Staff; Venezla Moses, Paralegal ; and Pandora Murphy, Paralegal
  ​Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania
  Norristown, PA
   
• Michael D. LiPuma, Esq.
  ​Law Office of Michael LiPuma
  Chair, Board of Directors
  Community Legal Services and Philadelphia Legal Assistance 
  Philadelphia, PA
   
• Jill Kelly McComsey, Esq.
  Associate Attorney
  Seidel Cohen Hof & Reid, LLC
  Bethlehem, PA
   
• Linda D. Renick
  Paralegal         
  North Penn Legal Services
  Bethlehem, PA
   
• Thomas B. Schmidt III, Esq.
  Of Counsel
  Pepper Hamilton LLP
  Harrisburg, PA
   
• Patricia Shilling
  Paralegal         
  MidPenn Legal Services
  Pottsville, PA
   
• Judith E. Wilson, Esq.
  Managing Attorney
  Northwestern, Legal Service
  Erie, PA

In addition, Fulton Financial Corporation has been selected to receive the Outstanding Leadership in Support of Legal Services in recognition of the bank’s long-standing support and investment in Pennsylvania IOLTA and civil legal aid as an IOLTA Platinum Leader Bank since March 2009.  Platinum Leader Banks exceed the PA IOLTA program requirements by paying a 1%, premium yield, on IOLTA accounts. Since 2009, Fulton Financial Corporation has contributed more than $2.4 million to the IOLTA program.

The Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network Excellence Award winners will be formally honored at the PLAN Excellence Award Banquet on Tuesday, March 28, 2017 at the Hilton Harrisburg in Harrisburg, PA.  The ceremony will feature a video tribute of each honoree highlighting their accomplishments. 

"The mission of the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network is to ensure  equal access to justice so that Pennsylvanians can have representation, when facing important civil legal concerns, affecting their safety, health, shelter and survival," said Samuel W. Milkes Esq., Executive Director of PLAN.  “Our Excellence Award recipients epitomize the tireless efforts of legal aid advocates and friends in the private bar who work to deliver on the promise of justice for all.” 

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