04 May 2015
The Nebraska Lawyers Foundation recognized two outstanding Nebraska Law alumni and members of the Nebraska legal community at the Barrister’s Ball held Saturday, April 18, in Omaha.
Avis Andrews received the Robert Spire Award for pro bono service, and Mike Kinney and Danielle Conrad received Visionary Awards. The ceremony is part of an annual fundraiser for the Nebraska Lawyers Foundation.
Avis Andrews, Spire Award
At the award ceremony, Avis Andrews of Fremont, Nebraska, received the Robert M. Spire Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions by volunteer lawyers who provide pro bono legal services to the poor.
The award is named for Robert M. Spire, Volunteer Lawyers Project founder. VLP matches indigent people in need of civil legal representation with lawyers willing to do pro bono work.
Program records show Andrews accepted eight cases in the last two years and 58 cases since 2001. Most cases dealt with family law issues, custody issues, and divorce involving domestic violence.
VLP Director Jean McNeil expressed appreciation for Andrews’ service. “VLP greatly appreciates her work and support,” said McNeil. “She’s always eager to help and rarely turns down a request for assistance. We need more volunteers like her.”
Andrews, a UNL College of Law graduate, says that not everyone can afford an attorney and that it’s important that lawyers do what they can to help. “Sometimes people are in pretty desperate situations,” said Andrews, “and it’s unfortunate, but you get to help them. You also get a better sense of what some less-fortunate people face in day-to-day life.”
Danielle Conrad, Visionary Award
Danielle Conrad, former state senator and current Executive Director for ACLU Nebraska, also received the esteemed Visionary award at the Barrister’s Ball.
Conrad was recognized generally for her efforts in helping the state bar achieve its mission, and in particular for her role in helping establish the Loan Repayment for Rural Practitioners Program.
In 2014, Conrad and a few of her fellow legislators sponsored a legislative bill that would provide loan forgiveness assistance to law graduates who choose to practice in rural areas of the state, or who choose public interest law jobs.
Rural areas of Nebraska suffer from a lack of qualified attorneys. A 2012 study by the NSBA found 12 counties with no lawyers and 49 counties with ten lawyers or less.
“All Nebraskans have a right to access justice," said Conrad. "By providing support to rural practice and public interest attorneys, we can ensure more Nebraskans’ basic legal needs are being met.”
Conrad was also recognized for her efforts to ensure appropriate funding for the judicial branch, for working on judicial redistricting, and for her work on promoting law for the public interest.
Conrad said about working with NSBA staff, “It’s always been a pleasure working with them…whenever the opportunity presents itself.”
Conrad graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Law in 2003 and served on the Nebraska State Legislature from 2007–2015.