Frequency:
Annual
Where presented :
Exemplar Award Dinner
Year:
2017
Recipient(s) name:
D. Michael Dale, Northwest Workers’ Justice Project, and Lisa B. Freeland, Federal Public Defender for the Western District of Pennsylvania
Reason for selection of recipient(s):
D. Michael Dale is honored with the Kutak-Dodds Prize for more than 40 years of litigation and advocacy work to significantly improve the lives of farmworkers and other low-wage workers across America. At the core of Michael’s life work is a belief in the inherent right of every individual to live and labor with dignity, safety, and hope. As a widely recognized leader in farmworkers’ rights, Michael consults regularly with farmworker legal aid organizations both nationally and internationally.
Lisa B. Freeland is honored with the Kutak-Dodds Prize for her advocacy in the arenas of pretrial reform, racial justice, and capital representation. She is recognized for her leadership and her passionate advocacy on behalf of her clients. Under her leadership, procedures were put into place to ensure representation prior to an individual appearing before a district judge. In addition to starting a Capital Habeas Unit that represents those on Pennsylvania’s death row, Lisa has advocated at a national level for funding for such units. Until this year, she chaired the national committee tasked with oversight of all capital representations in the defender program.