Thirteen local volunteers, civic leaders and community organizations will be recognized by Legal Services of Eastern Missouri at the “For The Common Good” award luncheon on Thursday, August 23, 2018 at the Hyatt Regency at the Arch, St. Louis.
This annual awards event recognizes the dedication and commitment of individuals, organizations and community leaders who partner with Legal Services to benefit the region. In 2017, volunteers provided more than 6,400 hours of free legal aid to more than 12,400 low-income clients of Legal Services in 21 counties in eastern Missouri.
“The very heart of Legal Services’ mission is to partner with the community to improve lives, promote fairness and create opportunity,” said Dan Glazier, Legal Services Executive Director and General Counsel. “This annual event highlights the collaborative work in each of our communities.”
The awards luncheon will begin at 11:30 am. Honorees include:
Thomas G. Glick (Robert Walston Chubb Award for exceptional commitment and contributions to Legal Services). Glick is a private practice attorney in St. Louis. He is immediate Past-President of the Legal Services Board of Directors, serving in this role 2011-18, and has been a board member since 2004.
Dr. Vivian Knipp (Ashley Award for Child Advocacy) Dr. Knipp is a psychological therapist at Affinia Healthcare’s Children’s Development Center. She works closely with Legal Services’ Children’s Legal Alliance, Medical-Legal Program and Education Justice Program to provide medical information and treatment for clients, to help advocate for their special education rights.
Pamela Johnson (Edna M. Taylor Client Service Award). Pamela Johnson is a client member of Legal Services’ Board of Directors since 2016 and an outstanding advocate and spokesperson for legal aid in the community.
Dr. Bruce R. Bacon and Dr. Jaquelyn Fleckenstein (Hon. Richard B. Teitelman Award for Community Service). Dr. Bacon is a Professor of Internal Medicine and Co-Director at the Liver Center of St. Louis University School of Medicine. Dr. Fleckenstein is a Professor of Medicine at Washington University Medical School. They were important medical expert contributors in the recent legal action with Legal Services and the SLU Law Clinic to secure Medicaid coverage for life-saving Hepatitis C medications from the Missouri Department of Social Services.
Alyce Herndon and Grace Hill Women’s Business Center (Melton M. Lewis Equal Justice Award) As Director of the Grace Hill Women’s Business Center, Herndon has been helping women entrepreneurs realize their dreams for almost four years. Herndon and the Women’s Business Center work in partnership with Legal Services’ Community Economic Development Microenterprise Program to provide legal information for new women business owners.
Prosperity Connection (Eddie Mae Binion Community Service Award) Established in 2010 through St. Louis Community Credit union, Prosperity Connection provides financial services, education, and support for low income people with few other available financial resources. Prosperity Connections works with the Consumer Law Program to protect the rights of St. Louisans, empowering families with the tools they need to prosper.
Julie Berkowitz and Cole O. Combs (F. Wm. McCalpin Pro Bono Award)
Berkowitz is a leading elder law attorney in St. Louis. She has been a volunteer lawyer with Legal Services for twenty years and consistently has one of the busiest caseloads in the Volunteer Lawyer Program, assisting clients with guardianships and estate planning.
Combs is a private attorney in St. Charles County. He has been a Judicare attorney working with the Legal Services’ Hannibal office since 2015, and is the primary provider of legal aid in rural Lincoln, Montgomery and Pike counties.
Capes Sokol (Gerald R. Ortbals Law Practice Award) Capes Sokol has been a key pro bono partner with Legal Services for many years, currently working with the Community Economic Development Microenterprise Program. The firm staffs a legal clinic at the Grace Hill Women’s Business Center, and also supports Legal Services by providing annual funding, event sponsorship and other key support.
Shannon D. Peters (John R. Essner Young Lawyer Award) Peters is an Associate at Husch Blackwell LLP in St. Louis. He has provided almost 100 hours of pro bono service to Legal Services in the past few years, staffing legal clinics and providing client representation.
Alderman Terry Kennedy (Rory Ellinger Legislative Award) Alderman Kennedy represents the 18th Ward in St. Louis City. He recently sponsored Board Bill #87, the Lock-Out Ordinance, which was passed as law. The ordinance mandates that landlords obtain court orders for an eviction order against a tenant and criminalizes evictions without a legal order.
Chris Nagus (Media Award) An investigative reporter with KMOV for ten years, Nagus has become a public advocate for consumer rights. He frequently works with Legal Services’ Consumer Law Program to champion the issues of clients and highlight concerns regarding unfair debt collection, consumer scams and other matters.
About Legal Services of Eastern Missouri: Legal Services of Eastern Missouri has provided free civil legal help for low-income families for 62 years. In 2017 nearly 30,000 people in
21 counties of eastern Missouri received services from four regional offices. For more information, please visit www.lsem.org.
