History of the Award: The American Bar Association's Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service and the Child Custody and Adoption Pro Bono Project are now accepting nominations for the annual Ann Liechty Child Custody Pro Bono Award. The award is named in memory of Ann Liechty, a dedicated child law advocate from Montana, and a former Pro Bono Publico Award recipient. Ms. Liechty died in 1999, and in 2000 family members Bill and Melita Grunow donated funds to establish the ABA Child Custody and Adoption Pro Bono Project in her honor. In 2002, the Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service designated one of its five Pro Bono Publico Awards as the Ann Liechty Pro Bono Child Custody Award.

Purpose of the Award: The Ann Liechty Child Custody Pro Bono Award seeks to identify and honor individual lawyers who have enhanced the lives of children by improving or delivering volunteer legal services to children involved in child custody proceedings.

Eligibility: In addition to the criteria for the general Pro Bono Publico Awards, nominees must have played a significant role in delivering or enhancing free legal services directly to children in child custody matters. Eligible custody matters are limited to divorce/domestic relations; parentage/unmarried parents; adoption; and private guardianship.

Nomination Process: The general Pro Bono Publico Award application should be completed according to those standards and deadlines. Applications can be found at http://www.abanet.org/legalservices/probono/nomination_solicit_web.pdf. Nominators must address the above stated purpose and eligibility for the Ann Liechty Child Custody Pro Bono Award throughout their nomination, and specifically note at the top of the application that the nomination is submitted for the Ann Liechty Child Custody Pro Bono Award. The deadline for submission is February 20, 2007.

Questions: More information about the award and previous recipients can be found at www.abachildcustodyproject.org. All questions regarding the Ann Liechty Child Custody Pro Bono Award should be, or 312-988-5805.