Nominations are now open for the 2012 Harrison Tweed Award presented by the American Bar Association.

Named for an outstanding leader in the promotion of free legal services to the poor, the Harrison Tweed Award was created in 1956 to recognize the extraordinary achievements of state and local bar associations that develop or significantly expand projects or programs to increase access to civil legal services to poor persons or criminal defense services to indigents.

Pro bono programs, legal services offices, public defender programs, individual lawyers and the public are encouraged to nominate state or local bar associations for the award. Such bar associations may also submit their own applications.

Nominations are sought for any local or state bar association in the United States that has:

1. Developed or significantly expanded a project or program for providing access to legal services for the poor or
2. Demonstrated long term excellence in maintaining projects or programs providing such access.

Bar associations may apply or be nominated as long as such bar association has not been a recipient of the award for the same or a substantially similar program within the past 10 years.

Nominations are particularly encouraged with respect to associations that have developed programs for joint involvement of the private bar with organized legal services or public defender programs.

The Award will be presented at the August 2012 Annual Meeting of the American Bar Association in Chicago, Illinois, in recognition of work accomplished during the year beginning April 1, 2011. Projects which began prior to that date will be considered if substantial services have been provided during the April 1, 2011 through March 31, 2012 period.

Click here for complete information on the Nomination Application Requirements. Nomination forms and all supporting materials must be sent via e-mail by the close of business on Monday, April 2, 2012.