The Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network, Inc. (PLAN) has announced the recipients of its 2017 Excellence Award, as well as the recipient of the Outstanding Leadership in Support of Legal Services. The exceptional individuals, groups and corporation listed below have demonstrated excellence in their efforts to expand access to justice for those who have nowhere else to turn for help when facing a critical legal problem.

Each winner has been carefully selected by criteria assessing increased access to civil legal aid, excellence in advocacy, leadership, and/or innovation in service delivery.  The 2017 Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network Excellence Award Honorees are: 

• Pamela Lynn Dalton-Arlotti, Esq.
  Director of Program Performance and Compliance
  Neighborhood Legal Services Association
  Pittsburgh, PA
   
• Barbara Griffin, Esq.
  Director of the Pro Bono Center
  Allegheny County Bar Foundation
  Pittsburgh, PA
   
• Legal Aid of Southeastern PA Centralized Telephone Hotline Staff
  Nanci Hoover, Managing Attorney; Robin Babillis, Paralegal; Dee Bailey, Paralegal; Kristen Burgess, Esq, Helpline Attorney; Eleanor Glasco, Paralegal; Carolyn Hettell, Paralegal; Randal Hove, Esq. Helpline Attorney:  Pamela Manning, Support Staff; Venzela Moses, Paralegal & Pandora Murphy, Paralegal
  Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania
  Norristown, PA
   
• Michael D. LiPuma, Esq.
  Law Office of Michael LiPuma
  Chair, Board of Directors
  Community Legal Services and Philadelphia Legal Assistance 
  Philadelphia, PA
   
• Jill Kelly McComsey, Esq.
  Associate Attorney
  Seidel Cohen Hof & Reid, LLC
  Bethlehem, PA
   
• Linda Renick
  Paralegal         
  North Penn Legal Services
  Bethlehem, PA
   
• Thomas B. Schmidt, Esq.
  Of Counsel
  Pepper Hamilton LLP
  Harrisburg, PA
   
• Patricia Shilling
  Paralegal         
  MidPenn Legal Services
  Lancaster, PA
   
• Judith E. Wilson, Esq.
  Managing Attorney
  Northwestern, Legal Service
  Erie, PA

In addition, Fulton Financial Corporation has been selected to receive the Outstanding Leadership in Support of Legal Services in recognition of the bank’s long-standing support and investment in Pennsylvania IOLTA and civil legal aid as an IOLTA Platinum Leader Bank since March 2009.  Platinum Leader Banks exceed the PA IOLTA program requirements by paying a 1%, premium yield, on IOLTA accounts. Since 2009, Fulton Financial Corporation has contributed more than $2.4 million to the IOLTA program.

The Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network Excellence Award winners will be formally honored at the PLAN Excellence Award Banquet on Tuesday, March 28, 2017 at the Hilton Harrisburg in Harrisburg, PA.  The ceremony will feature a video tribute of each honoree highlighting their accomplishments. For ticket and sponsorship information, please visit, www.palegalaid.net and click on the Excellence Award link.

"The mission of the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network is to ensure  equal access to justice so that Pennsylvanians can have representation, when facing important civil legal concerns, affecting their safety, health, shelter and survival," said Samuel W. Milkes Esq., Executive Director of PLAN.  “Our Excellence Award recipients epitomize the tireless efforts of legal aid advocates and friends in the private bar who work to deliver on the promise of justice for all.”