Monday, February 2, 2009

Pro Bono Initiatives $50,000 - November 2009 (for 2010 award)

This notice material that appears below is from the American College of Trial Lawyers web site. Projected deadline for 2010 awards, based on the ACTL information, is November of 2009, but ACTL has not issued an official announcement yet.

Emil Gumpert Award: To recognize programs, whether public or private, whose principal purpose is to maintain and improve the administration of justice.

The award now recognizes programs, public or private, whose principal purpose is to maintain and improve the administration of justice. In 2005 the Committee awarded the first such award, in the amount of $50,000, to Dakota Plains Legal Services of Mission, South Dakota. The Committee is preparing to receive applications and nominations for the upcoming award period. The programs considered may be associated with courts, law schools, bar associations or any other organization that provides such a program.

Potential candidates may apply directly for the award by submitting the Application form found below to the American College of Trial Lawyers. Candidates may also be nominated by Fellows of the American College of Trial Lawyers including State and Province Committees, and by bar associations, law schools, or any person who wishes to propose a candidate for consideration. Nominators should use the Nomination form found below.

Additional Criteria Notice (Oct.08):

In addition to looking for programs that are compatible with this basic mission statement, the Emil Gumpert Award Committee pays particular attention to the following factors in evaluating applications:

* Precisely how will the award money be spent by the applicant?
* Will the applicant accomplish its intended project or goal without the award money?
* Can the applicant’s project serve as a model for wider application?

The Committee generally does not favor applications seeking funds for general operating expenses, to support existing programs, or to add new employees who perform the pre-existing work of the applicant. Past winners, described in more detail by clicking here, all sought funding for new, well-defined programs that, if successful, could be replicated elsewhere.

Award Recipients
2008 “And Justice For All” of Salt Lake City, Utah
2007 The National Center for Refugee and Immigrant Children,Washington, District of Columbia
2006 Legal Aid University, Boston, Massachusetts
2005 Dakota Plains Legal Services, Mission, South Dakota