The American Bar Association Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service is currently seeking nominations for the 2014 ABA Pro Bono Publico Award. 

Each year the Standing Committee presents five awards to individual lawyers and institutions in the legal profession that have demonstrated outstanding commitment to volunteer legal services for the poor and disadvantaged. 

The Pro Bono Publico Awards program seeks to identify and honor individual lawyers and small and large law firms, government attorney offices, corporate law departments and other institutions in the legal profession that have enhanced the human dignity of others by improving or delivering volunteer legal services to our nation's poor and disadvantaged. These services are of critical importance to the increasing number of people in this country living in a state of poverty who are in need of legal representation to improve their lives.

The commitment, energy and new approaches to the delivery of pro bono service demonstrated by past recipients serve as models for others in the legal profession.

Some candidates will be nominated for their longtime dedication to the delivery of pro bono legal services to the poor. Others might be nominated for their creative approaches to the delivery of volunteer legal services or their commitment to representing low-income persons. Some may have brought about legislation that contributes substantially to legal services to the poor.

The Committee is currently accepting nominations from the following two categories:

• Individuals: Individual attorneys who do not obtain their income delivering legal services to persons of limited means are eligible. (Compensated pro bono coordinators are not eligible.)              
• Organizations: Small and large law firms, government attorney offices, corporate law departments, law schools and other institutions in the legal profession whose members have collectively made an outstanding contribution toward one or more of the criteria are also eligible.

Nominations may be submitted by completing the individual online nomination form or the organization online nomination form. This form must be submitted for both new nominations and for repeat nominations. Additional supporting information also needs to be submitted.

For complete information on the award criteria and nomination process, visit http://www.americanbar.org/groups/probono_public_service/projects_awards/pro_bono_publico_award.html.

Nominations will be accepted through February 28, 2014.

The Committee will select award recipients in April, 2014. All nominators will be notified about the status of the nomination as soon as possible after selections are made.

The 2014 award will be presented at the ABA Annual Meeting on Saturday, August 9, 2014.