Difference Makers Awards
Beginning in fall of 2002, GP|Solo Chair Karen J. Mathis began the Difference Makers Awards Program to recognize extraordinary lawyers who “make a difference” by breaking down barriers for women, people of color, people with disabilities and regardless of sexual orientation. These awards have since been expanded to honor local attorneys whose dedication has made a difference to the profession or the community. Rather than recognizing solo/small firm lawyers or those working in the solo/small firm sections of local and state bars, these awards are intended for big firm lawyers, educators, judges, etc., who fulfill one of the following award categories.
Making a Difference by Breaking Barriers – Attorneys living or deceased who have broken barriers for gender, color, disabilities or sexual orientation.
Making a Difference through Community Service – Attorneys living or deceased who have made significant lifetime contributions to the local community through community service. Recognizes a lawyer who does not do bar work or pro bono work per se, but does a lot of community work.
Making a Difference through Pro Bono Work – Attorneys, law firms, corporate legal departments, government attorney offices, and institutions in the legal professions that have made an outstanding commitment to volunteer legal services for the poor and disadvantaged. Recognizes an outstanding local attorney/group that does pro bono work.
Making a Difference through Service to the Profession – Attorneys living or deceased who have made significant contributions to the legal profession through service to the profession. This might be called the outstanding local “bar junkie” award.
Difference Makers Awards 2007
At our Difference Makers Awards Dinner on Friday evening, October 5th, at the National Constitution Center, we honored six lawyers who have made a difference to the Bar, the Community, Pro Bono and Breaking Barriers. In a crowded field, this year’s winners were:
- William T. Robinson III (Florence, KY) for Community Service
- C. Dale McClain (Worcester, PA) for Service to the Profession
- Wendy Demchick-Alloy and Mary Coyne Pugh (Montgomery County, PA) for their work with the Child Advocacy Project
- Harvey F. Strauss (Maple Glen, PA) as Co-Director of Legal Aid for Southeastern PA
- Judge Pamila J. Brown (Ellicott City, MD) for Breaking Barriers
The evening began at 4:30pm with our Night at the Museum including an exclusive tour of this magnificent new facility and testament to our most vital document. We then convened a reception at the Center to loosen up the awardees and the crowd for Philly's hottest blues band, Blues Anatomy. After an elegant dinner, the awardees shared their heartfelt stories and received their well-earned Difference Makers Awards.
Difference Makers Award Recipients: Wendy Demchick-Alloy and Mary Coyne Pugh (Montgomery County, PA) William T. Robinson III (Florence, KY) C. Dale McClain (Worcester, PA).
Gary L. Anderson presents the Difference Makers Award to Judge Pamila J. Brown (Ellicott City, MD) for Breaking Barriers.
Harvey F. Strauss (Maple Glen, PA), Co-Director of Legal Aid for Southeastern PA, receives a Difference Makers Award from GP|Solo Division Chair-Elect Robert A. Zupkus.
Difference Makers Awards 2006
Professional Achievement
Honorable Janine P. Geske
Milwaukee, WI
Justice Janine P. Geske currently serves as a Distinguished Professor of Law at Marquette University Law School and as an adjunct associate professor in the Marquette University Center for Dispute Resolution program.
Diversity Achievement
Ulice Payne, Jr.
Brookfield, WI
Ulice Payne, Jr. is the president of Addison-Clifton, LLC, global trade compliance advisors. Payne is the former president and CEO of the Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Club.
Difference Makers Awards 2005
The Difference Makers Awards dinner honored the hard work of several local attorneys whose dedication has changed the profession of law for the better. The awards ceremony and dinner was followed by live music and dancing in the beautiful World Trade Center overlooking the harbor in Boston, MA.
Diversity and Professional Achievement — Honorable Sandra L. Lynch, First Circuit Court of Appeals
Lifetime Achievement — Honorable William T. Hogan, Jr. (ret.) (a Boston lawyer, former counsel to Governor, former Commissioner of Corrections, former Commissioner Mass. Health and Human Services; former Mass. state court judge)
Professional Achievement — Michael S. Greco, ABA President
Difference Makers Awards 2004
Lifetime Achievement Award
Given at the GP|Solo Spring Meeting in Gold Canyon, AZ, in the spring of 2004.
General Earl E. Anderson, Vienna, VA
Diversity & Professional Achievement Award
Given at Annual Meeting in Atlanta, GA in August 2004.
Paula J. Frederick, Atlanta, GA
Diversity Achievement
Given at the GP|Solo Fall Meeting in Beverly Hills, CA in fall of 2004.
- Catherine Endo Chuck, McBirney & Chuck, P.C., Los Angeles, CA
- Gary Farwell, Farwell & Associates, Los Angeles, CA
- Diane M. Goodman, Goodman & Metz, Encino, CA
- Lorraine Loder, Los Angeles, CA
- Marilyn H. Nelson, Zukor & Nelson, Beverly Hills, CA
- Maria Villa, Lathrop & Villa, Torrance, CA
Difference Makers Awards 2002
Diversity Achievement
Given at the GP|Solo Fall Meeting in San Diego, CA in fall of 2002.
- Major James M. Durant III, Vandenberg, CA
- Laura V. Farber, Pasadena, CA
- Harry Hathaway, Los Angeles, CA
- Mary Pat Toups, Laguna Woods, CA
