The 2021 Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network Excellence Awards will be held virtually on March 23, 2021 from 6:00 PM-7:30 PM.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the 2020 PA Legal Aid Network Excellence Awards were not held. Given these circumstances, a new slate of award winners for 2021 was not selected. Instead this event will honor the previously selected award recipients for 2020 and celebrate our community’s collective response to COVID-19.

As the state of the pandemic in March is uncertain, the awards ceremony will be held virtually. The event will follow the same format as prior in-person ceremonies and will be professionally produced and fitting for the occasion.

PLAN is pleased to share that Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice David Wecht has agreed to be the Speaker this event.

The following will be honored at the March 2021 Virtual Excellence Awards:

• Wesley C. Allen, Esq.
  Senior Attorney, Family Advocacy Unit • Community Legal Services • Philadelphia, PA
• Mardi Busanus 
  Volunteer • Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania • Doylestown, PA
• El Comité de Apoyo a los Trabajadores Agrícolas (CATA)
  El Comité de Apoyo a los Trabajadores Agrícolas (The Farmworkers Support Committee) • Kennett Square, PA
• Robert Damewood, Esq.
  Staff Attorney • Regional Housing Legal Services • Pittsburgh, PA
• Erin Guay
  Paralegal • Pennsylvania Health Law Project • Pittsburgh, PA
• Samuel R. Grego, Esq.
  Principal • Dickie McCamey, & Chilcote, P.C. • Pittsburgh, PA
• Gabriele Miller-Wagner
  Administrative Assistant, Pro Bono Department • Pennsylvania Bar Association • Harrisburg, PA
• Matthew S. Rich, Esq.
  Staff Attorney • MidPenn Legal Services • Harrisburg, PA
• Joan M. Tutak, Esq. 
  Senior Attorney • Neighborhood Legal Services • Butler, PA

Of special honor is the Outstanding Leadership In Support of Legal Services Award, which will be presented to:

Samuel W. Milkes, Esq.
Executive Director Emeritus, Pennsylvania Legal Services Network, Inc.

Since this event will be broadcast live, we're not requiring attendees to register in advance or purchase a ticket. In lieu of purchasing a ticket, we're asking those that wish to attend to consider making a donation in honor of an award recipient.

In addition, we'll be making our awards program available in print and electronically on our event page. If you would like to receive your program by mail in advance of the ceremony, please complete this form no later than March 5, 2021 at 5:00 PM.

We will feature advertisers and sponsors on our live event page and in our program booklets as we normally do. Please consider supporting us through a sponsorship or advertisement. All requests for sponsorships and advertisements must be submitted to PLAN by March 1, 2021 at 5:00 PM.

Please contact Brianna Bosak (bbosak@palegalaid.net) or Natalie Bogerman (nbogerman@palegalaid.net) if you require additional information or have any questions.

Information on viewing the Awards Ceremony will be available on the PLAN website.