SECTION NEWS
Chicago Fordham Society Luncheon
The Jefferson Fordham Society’s Annual Luncheon in Chicago during the ABA Annual Meeting will take place on Friday, July 31, from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., at Maggiano’s, 516 North Clark Street. During the Luncheon, the Society’s Jefferson Fordham Awards honoring professional excellence in the practice of state and local government law will be presented.
Daniel J. Curtin Lifetime Achievement Award
James Baird, Seyfarth Shaw LLP
Chicago, Illinois
James Baird, a partner in the Chicago office of Seyfarth Shaw LLP and a past Chair of the Section of State and Local Government Law, has been a significant contributor to the area of public employment law specifically and, through his many years of service to the American Bar Association, the Section, and many other entities, to the advancement of state and local government law generally.
Jim received a J.D. degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School and a “Master of Laws–Labor” degree from the George Washington University School of Law. He has practiced in the state and local government law arena since 1970, beginning with the labor relations management service of the National League of Cities, the Conference of Mayors, and the National Association of Counties. He moved from there to private practice, specializing in public employment law. His labor and employment practice focuses on public and private sector clients in union representation, collective bargaining, and unfair labor practice matters. He has successfully negotiated over 200 collective bargaining agreements on behalf of public, private, and federal employers throughout the country. He is a Fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers and has served as a member of the ABA Board of Governors.
Jim has accomplished much more than simply practice law, however. He has taught, lectured widely, and sought legal reform. He founded the National Public Employer Labor Relations Association and its Illinois counterpart. He has spoken extensively on labor and employment relations issues to colleges, universities, and such professional associations as the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the International Personnel Management Association, the National Academy of Arbitrators, and the National Public Employer Labor Relations Association, as well as to numerous state PELRAs, the National Employment Law Institute, police chief and fire chief associations, and the California and Illinois Municipal League Attorneys Conferences, among others.
He is the author, co-author, or editor of seven books and numerous articles and book chapters dealing with public employment issues, including Sexual Harassment in the Public Workplace (ABA 2001); Freedom of Speech in the Public Workplace (ABA 1998); and Public Employee Privacy: A Legal and Practical Guide to Issues Affecting the Workplace (ABA 1995).
Jim has served in almost every State and Local Government Law Section office, and after finishing his term as Chair in 1995, he has continued to provide guidance and advice to Section leadership. He has been a member of the ABA House of Delegates, and, with his broad contacts across the ABA, he has assisted with Section initiatives and needs. Likewise, as a member of the ABA Board of Governors, he continued his valuable service to the bar.
As his many associates, colleagues, and friends in the profession can attest, Jim Baird is a tireless and enthusiastic contributor to the activities of the Section and to the advancement of state and local government law and practice.
Up & Comer Award
Amy Lavine, Government Law Center of Albany Law School
Albany, New York
Out of law school for only a few years, Amy Lavine has established herself, through her research and writing, as a leading national expert on state and local government law at an early stage in her legal career. She has published articles in The Urban Lawyer , the Practical Real Estate Lawyer , and a host of prestigious law reviews and newsletters. She has written a chapter and provided behind the scenes editing for the second edition of the Section’s Ethical Standards in the Public Sector and maintains the most comprehensive blog on the emerging hot topic of community benefit agreements.
Currently, Amy is collaborating on two books, one on eminent domain and one on community benefits agreements. The eminent domain book, in particular, has sparked interest in the landmark case of Berman v. Parker and, when published, will be the seminal analysis of the case and its appropriate place in legal history and community development.
In addition, Amy is a sought after speaker and consultant on a range of community development issues. Local community groups and professional organizations have recognized her talent, and she has delivered a number of presentations on CBAs and RLUIPA. Further, Amy has invested considerable time researching and writing about the legal aspects of local government restructuring and is developing a national web-based clearinghouse of information on shared services, consolidations, dissolutions, and other municipal reorganization issues. She is also working on local environmental law issues, most recently cataloging and analyzing state and local climate change and green development action plans and laws.
Amy Lavine’s research, scholarship, and community education efforts revolve around cutting edge issues facing state and local governments today. She is at the top of the list of true “up and comers” in state and local government law.
Fordham Awards
For more information about the Jefferson Fordham Awards, contact Marsha Boone at 312/988-5649 or boonem@staff.abanet.org or visit www.abanet.org/statelocal .
