About
This award is presented to commend one or more attorneys who are actively involved in the legal profession and who combine excellence in professional service with outstanding service to and on behalf of the Minnesota State Bar, the legal profession, or the public. This award recognizes attorneys who strive to meet the many responsibilities of a lawyer, including efforts to improve the administration of justice and practice of law, efforts to promote access to justice, efforts to serve and govern the profession, and service of benefit to the community.
Most Recent Awards
Joel Smith
Joel Smith is a founding partner of the Kosieradzki Smith Law Firm, a national practice firm known for its expertise in medicine and health care. He is also the author of the premier nursing home litigation textbook, “Nursing Home Cases: When Caregivers Stop Caring”, and the MSBA’s Elder Law Handbook chapter on nursing home litigation. Mr. Smith serves on the Minnesota Association for Justice’s Board of Directors and is a former member of the Governing Council for the Elder Law Section. He attended undergrad at St. John’s University and law school at the University of Minnesota.
Previous Recipients
2023 – Magistrate Jill Prohofsky
– Susan M. Holden
2022 – Hon. Matthew J. Opat
2021 – Landon Ascheman
2020 – Jack Rice
2019 – Mike Boulette
– Chris Bowman
– Jeanne Jansen
2018 – no award given
2017 – John Dornik
– Kenneth R. White
– Susan K. Wiens
2016 – Judge Cara Lee Neville
2012 – Sue Dosal
– Judge Roger Klaphake
2011 – Brockton Hunter
2010 – Minnesota lawyers who served with the 34th “Red Bull” Infantry Division of the Minnesota Army National Guard
2009 – Special Compensation Process for Survivors of the 35W Bridge Collapse Pro Bono Attorneys and The Special Master Panel
2008 – Chief Justice Russell A Anderson
– Justice Sam Hanson
2007 – Henry (Hank) Shea III
2006 – Thomas Conlin
– Judge Kenneth Jorgensen
2005 – Charles E. Lundberg
2004 – Neil W. Hamilton
– Harry J. Haynsworth, IV
2003 – Judge Diana Eagon
2002 – Paul Marino
2001 – Richard Pemberton
2000 – Judge Edward Toussaint
1999 – Justice John Simonett
1998 – no award given
1997 – no award given
1996 – Briggs and Morgan
– Dorsey & Whitney
– Faegre & Benson
– Fredrickson & Byron
– Gray Plant Mooty
– Leonard Street and Deinard
– Lindquist & Vennum
– Oppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly
– Popham Haik
– Rider Bennet Egan & Arundel
– Robins Kaplan Miller & Ciresi
1995 – Susan Stevens Chambers
1994 – Bruce Beneke
1994 – Jeremy Lane
1993 – R. Bertram Greener
1992 – no award given
1991 – William Wernz
1991 – Tom L. Johnson
1990 – no award given
1989 – Philip K. Arzt
1988 – Paul W. Onkka, Jr.
1988 – William B. Danforth
1987 – DePaul D. Willette
1986 – no award given
1985 – Justice Douglas K. Amdahl