The National Legal Aid & Defender Association (NLADA) Exemplar Awards honored members of the corporate counsel or private law firm communities who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, vision, dedication and achievement in promoting and supporting equal justice. Each Exemplar honoree has made invaluable commitments and contributions to pro bono and public service, and supports NLADA’s work to provide equal access to justice for all. Also presented were the Kutak-Dodds Prizes and Beacon of Justice Awards.
Exemplar Awards
The National Legal Aid & Defender Association (NLADA) Exemplar Award annually honors members of the corporate counsel or private law firm communities who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, vision, dedication and achievement in promoting and supporting equal justice. Each Exemplar honoree has made invaluable commitments and contributions to pro bono and public service and supported NLADA’s work to provide equal access to justice for all. Click HERE to see all past Exemplar awardees.
We are pleased to announce that the 2024 Exemplar Award Honoree is David Zapolsky, SVP of Global Public Policy and General Counsel at Amazon. Zapolsky is an active member of NLADA’s Corporate Advisory Committee and is being honored for his extraordinary leadership in promoting access to justice and racial equity in the legal profession. For more information click HERE.
Kutak-Dodds Prizes
Each year NLADA and the Robert J. Kutak Foundation jointly award the Kutak-Dodds Prizes to honor the accomplishments of one civil legal aid attorney and one public defender. These attorneys, through the practice of law, are reinforcing the principle and reality of justice for all under the law. Each prize carries a cash award of $10,000. The winners will be recognized on June 6th at NLADA’s annual Exemplar Awards Gala in Washington, DC. To view past Kutak-Dodds Prize winners click here.
Beacon of Justice Awards
NLADA’s Beacon of Justice Awards honor members of the pro bono legal community who are tireless advocates for equal justice and the 2023 Beacon of Justice Awards featured law firms who are addressing issues related to Civil & Human Rights. To watch videos from last year’s 2023 Beacon of Justice winners click HERE.
Click HERE to view the 2023 Beacon of Justice digital book.
Sponsorships
Click HERE for 2024 Sponsorship Opportunities and click HERE for the Pledge Form. Contact Aileen Moffatt at [email protected] for more information on how to sponsor the 2024 Exemplar Awards Gala.
Art Auction
A highlight of our Exemplar Awards Gala each year is our Art Auction. All pieces are generously donated by artists from around the country, many of whom are local to DC, alongside artwork from incarcerated artists. Funds raised from the auction directly support NLADA’s mission of expanding access to counsel and safeguarding justice for all. In its 6th year, the auction features artwork ranging from pastels, to oil paints, prints, and more.
Exemplar Award Beacon of Justice Award Kutak-Dodds Prizes 2023 Exemplar Gala