Catherine Salinas Judge Catherine Salinas receives the H. Sol Clark Award from State Bar of Georgia President Buck Rogers.

The State Bar of Georgia honored nine lawyers, firms and law schools at its annual Pro Bono Awards dinner, held at the Glenn Hotel on Nov. 15, for their work providing civil legal services to those in need.

This year, U. S. Magistrate Judge Catherine Salinas of the Northern District of Georgia and Julia Sullivan of Stone & Sullivan in Savannah were honored with the H. Sol Clark Award for their careerlong efforts to expand legal aid. Clark, a former Court of Appeals judge, is known as the “father of legal aid” in Georgia.

Early in her career, Salinas started a pro se divorce clinic and a “wills on wheels” program at Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid, and she's continued those efforts in the Atlanta area. She's served as president of the Atlanta Legal Aid Society's board, as co-chair of the Georgia Association for Women Lawyers' community service committee and as a member of the state bar's Access to Justice Committee. As a committee member, Salinas led the development of DueJusticeDo50, which connects lawyers with pro bono opportunities, and Georgia.FreeLegalAnswers.org, which connects the public with lawyers to answer their civil legal questions.