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‘Twas the season for
celebration and that is certainly what was on everyone’s
mind as people gathered
at Café Roka for the Volunteer Lawyers Program (VLP)
annual awards event.
Held in conjunction with the Cochise County Bar
Christmas Party, the
awards event drew judges, public attorneys and members
of the private bar to
honor the achievements of some of Cochise County’s finest
attorneys. Cochise
County Superior Court
Chief Justice Tom Collins
and Judge
Wallace R. Hoggatt
presented five awards
to persons or entities
who made access
to justice a reality for
the low-income
residents of Cochise
County.
The Sierra Vista Public
Library was honored
with the Award of
Appreciation for providing
space free of charge
every month for VLP
pro se clinics. The
award for Family Law Attorney of the Year was presented to
Jeanne Benda Whitney for
her contribution
David Gunkle
of 100 hours of pro bono
service to the VLP
Director, Sierra
Vista Public Library
Divorce Clinic during the
past year.
Cary
Inabinet, an attorney with the
Office
of the Arizona Attorney
General, received the Public Attorney
of the
Year Award for his participation
in the
Divorce Clinics, the Will Clinics
and presenting a
Continuing Legal
Education Seminar.
Cary Inabinet, Hon. Tom Collins,
Hon. Wallace Hoggatt
Patricia (Pat) Moreno was
recognized as
the 2005 Attorney of the
Year for conducting
Divorce and Advice Only
Clinics as well as
preparing all of the
schedules and statements
for several VLP clients
who needed to file for
Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
protection before the
October 17, 2005
deadline.
Pat Moreno
The
awards presentation culminated with the John
F.
Kelliher, P.C. law firm receiving the
award for
Law
Firm of the Year. In accepting the award, Mr.
John
F. Kelliher made sure to note that the firm
had
received the award because everyone, support
staff
and attorneys, participate in the VLP and are
dedicated to the provision of services for the low-
income
residents of Cochise County.
John Kelliher &
Hon. Tom Collins
The VLP’s annual
award winners represent a small fraction of the many attorneys
who have given of
their time and their legal skills to over 230 clients in need in
2005. The VLP
appreciates the efforts of each and every one of those attorneys.
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Back to VLP in the News
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See the past annual Cochise
County award winners!
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