• Recognizes the contributions to the legal profession by child advocates who have actively labored on behalf of children
• Celebrates the often unheralded service that child advocates bring to children and the legal profession

Any lawyer or judge involved in child advocacy is eligible. The ABA Young Lawyers Division Child Advocacy Award is given to an individual, based on an individual's personal achievement and commitment. It is not given to groups of people, organizations, or posthumously. Those who were nominated for this award in the past and were not selected may be nominated again.

• Young Lawyer (on September 1, 2010 the individual must be less than 36 years of age or admitted to practice in his/her first bar within the past five years)
• Non-Young Lawyer (on September 1, 2010 the individual must be 36 or more years of age or admitted to practice in his/her first bar more than five years ago)
• The winner in each category will be recognized at the Young Lawyers Division Assembly on Saturday, August 1, 2010, at the ABA Annual Meeting in Chicago.

• April 30, 2010: deadline for all nominations and letters of recommendation
• June 15, 2010: winners selected and all nominees and nominators will be notified of outcome

The nomination process for 2008-2009 Child Advocacy Award has ended. The 2009-2010 nomination process will open on February 15, 2010. The nomination must be received no later than April 30 in electronic form (preferably as one document in either PDF or Microsoft Word format) via email. If email is not available, a copy saved on a disc can be mailed to Renee Lugo at ABA YLD, 321 North Clark Street, Suite 1800, Chicago, IL 60654 (fax nominations will not be considered). The nomination must include the following items:

• A completed ABA YLD Child Advocacy Award nomination form. (available February 15, 2010)
• A nomination letter from nominator explaining the qualifications of the nominee and setting forth the reasons why the nominee should be awarded the ABA YLD Child Advocacy Award.
• The nominee’s biographical resume, including an explanation of the nominee’s legal service on the behalf of children, employment and professional history.
• Two to four letters of recommendation. Examples include letters from the nominee’s clients, individuals familiar with the nominee’s service on behalf of children, the nominee’s current or former employers, fellow practitioners, or any other individual who can explain why the nominee should be receive the ABA YLD Child Advocacy Award.

List of Past Recipients