Awards
AAJ Paralegal of the Year Award
To be eligible for nomination, candidates must have served as AAJ Paralegal Affiliates for at least one year. Members of the Paralegal Advisory Task Force are not eligible for nomination. Awarded to candidates who contribute to the paralegal profession by teaching or tutoring paralegal students, speaking at seminars and conventions on issues concerning the profession, mentoring paralegal students, displaying commitment and providing services to professional organizations such as local and national paralegal associations, writing articles for legal publications, and showing a commitment to continuing legal education and to community through volunteering.
Steven J. Sharp Public Service Award
The Steven J. Sharp Public Service Award is presented annually to those attorneys and clients whose cases tell the story of American civil justice. Award winners are chosen who help educate state and national policy makers and the public about the importance of consumers’ rights.
Community Champions are not AAJ members; rather, they are consumer advocates who have performed outstanding work on behalf of injured consumers to prevent injury and/or preserve consumers’ access to justice. They are honored each year at the Civil Justice Foundation’s Breakfast of Champions during the AAJ Annual Convention.
Soaring Eagles Award
The Soaring Eagles Award was established in 1997 and symbolizes the struggle of lawyers of color as they travel the road to personal and professional success. The AAJ Minority Caucus presents this award annually to an attorney who, despite the challenges of his or her own journey, pursues excellence and has made outstanding efforts and contributions to the legal profession in paving the way for others.
Marie Lambert Award
The Women Trial Lawyers Caucus established the Marie Lambert Award in 1997, to recognize and honor women members of AAJ. Marie Lambert exemplified courage andstrength to other lawyers. She overcame many obstacles, most particularly sexism, to open her own law firm. Marie Lambert demonstrated exemplary leadership to the profession, to her community, to AAJ, and to the Women Trial Lawyers Caucus.
F. Scott Baldwin Award
The F. Scott Baldwin Award was established to honor and recognize F. Scott Baldwin of Marshall, Texas, a world-renowned trial lawyer, whose efforts have produced outstanding damage awards for injured victims and their families. The F. Scott Baldwin Award is presented in recognition of the legendary degree of excellence and compassion that Scott Baldwin has brought to the profession and the significant time he has invested in training, preparing and encouraging lawyers to the profession of trial law.
Joe Tonahill Award
The Joe Tonahill Award was established to honor the true spirit of Joe Tonahill, a highly dignified and ethical defender of the civil justice system; a peerless stalwart of the modern trial bar; an exemplary trial lawyer; a dedicated leader; a passionate motivator of lawyers new to the profession of trial law; and one who through his own selfless deeds and inspirations has created a legacy for generations to follow.
The Wiedemann & Wysocki Award is presented annually to outstanding AAJ members who have demonstrated a deep commitment to the highest standards and duties of the trial lawyer and are passionately committed to the principles of the civil justice system and AAJ's mission.
Law Student Scholarships
Alia Herrera Memorial Scholarship
The Alia Herrera Memorial Scholarship, with an award amount of $3,000, is open to Law Student Members who are entering their second or third year of law school, or have the equivalent of one year to complete.
The Richard D. Hailey Law Student Scholarship
AAJ's Minority Caucus awards up to six $1,000 scholarships to African American, Hispanic, Asian American, Native American, and Biracial Law Student Members who are entering their first, second, or third year of law school.
Open to all AAJ Law Student Members who are entering their second and third year of law school, this $2,500 scholarship is awarded to the applicant who best demonstrates the following: commitment to AAJ and its mission; a desire to represent victims; interest and skill in trial advocacy; and financial need.
Sponsored by AAJ and AAJ member Ira Leesfield, this scholarship awards $2,500 to a Law Student Member to subsidize attendance at AAJ’s Annual Convention. Available to first- and second-year AAJ Law Student Members.
Mike Eidson Scholarship
The Mike Eidson Scholarship Fund was established by the AAJ Women for Justice Education Fund in 2008, in honor of AAJ Past President Mike Eidson, whose vision and generosity inspired it. The Scholarship awards $5,000 annually to a female student entering her third year of law school (the student can be enrolled in a three-year day program or four-year night program) who has demonstrated a commitment to a career as a trial lawyer, along with dedication to upholding and defending the principles of the Constitution, and to the concept of a fair trial, the adversary system, and a just result for the injured, the accused, and those whose rights are jeopardized.
