Local bar association will announce award recipients at Law Day luncheon

The 2002 Law Day Luncheon presented by the Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. April 29 at the Clarion Hotel, 3333 S. Glenstone Ave. The theme for Law Day 2002 is "Celebrate Your Freedom: As-suring Equal Justice for All."

During the event several new awards will be presented. The SMBA and Greene County Teen Court will present an award to an outstanding teen "lawyer" chosen from among the teen-agers who serve as Teen Court volunteers and act as prosecutors and defense attorneys to the teen offenders referred to the program.

Crista Hogan Shuler, executive director of the SMBA, said encouraging interest in law among younger people is a re-newed focus of the organization.

"The whole point of law day is to celebrate the legal community (and) focus on the positive things that derive from the profession. It's always nice to share that message with a receptive audience. Children tend to be interested in law and all that that involves," Shuler said.

Winners of the essay contest for middle school children, and winners of the poster contest for elementary school students, also will be announced.

The SMBA will present its Distin-guished Attorney, Liberty Bell and SMBA Scholarship awards. The Distin-guished Attorney Award recognizes an attorney whose practice of law exemplifies the highest legal and ethical standards to which all attorneys should strive.

Shuler said the Distinguished Attorney Award is very significant. "We have 650 members, and to choose one person to honor for their career it really is a very big deal," she said.

The Liberty Bell Award is presented to a non-lawyer in recognition of special service to the community in promoting the administration of justice. Past recipients of the Liberty Bell Award include Sister Lorraine Biebel, founder of The Kitchen, and Pat Walker, longtime downtown advocate.

The SMBA Scholarship is presented to a law school student who has ties to the local community.

Other events presented by the SMBA are the SMBA Fun Run/Walk, which will be held at 5 p.m. May 3 at Phelps Grove Park, and The Mock Trial Tournament, which will begin at 9 a.m. May 4 at Ozark High School. For more information about the SMBA or the events, contact Shuler at the SMBA office.