The sections and committees of the New Jersey State Bar Association offer numerous opportunities throughout the year to honor the best of the legal profession. Nomination deadlines are approaching for awards by the Young Lawyers Division (YLD), the Municipal Court Practice Section and the Pro Bono Committee.

Young Lawyers Division

Each year, the YLD presents four awards at the New Jersey State Bar Association Annual Meeting and Convention in Atlantic City. The awards are: Service to the Community, Service to the Bar, Professional Achievement, and Young Lawyer of the Year.

• Service to the Community: Young lawyers who have devoted substantial time and energy to community-oriented activities such as pro bono work, government service, charity involvement, or other public service over the past year are candidates for the Service to the Community Award. Young lawyers who are in paid public service positions are not eligible for this award unless they are doing something in addition to the job for which they are paid.
• Service to the Bar: Nominees for the Service to the Bar Award should be young lawyers who dedicated considerable volunteer time to bar activities at the county, state, and/or national level, including specialty and minority bars, over the past year.
• Professional Achievement: The Professional Achievement Award acknowledges a young lawyer who has had significant professional accomplishments during the past year. This can include publications, demonstrated excellence in a particular area of law, a significant verdict or law-changing appellate or Supreme Court decision, or other such professional achievement.
• Young Lawyer of the Year: The Young Lawyer of the Year Award is presented to a young lawyer whose combined personal and professional achievements over the past year merit special recognition, and who has additionally made significant community and public service contributions; has actively participated in the organized bar; and has stood out in the areas of professional knowledge, skill, integrity and courtesy.

Nominees must be members of the New Jersey State Bar Association ­and 'young lawyers' as of May 31 of this year, to be eligible for an award. A 'young lawyer' is any lawyer who has been engaged in the practice of law for 10 years or less or who is under the age of 36. Nominees who do not meet these basic criteria will be rejected.

If there are no viable candidates for a given category, the award may not be bestowed, at the discretion of the YLD Awards Committee.

The deadline for submitting nominations is Sunday, March 17. Please send questions, nominations and any information that might help the YLD Awards Committee make their decision to [email protected].

Municipal Court Practice Section

The NJSBA Municipal Court Practice Section is soliciting nominations for its annual Municipal Court Practice Award. Nominations may include a New Jersey lawyer, prosecutor, or retired judge, in good standing, who has evidenced:

1. Public service in advancing the development of municipal court practice in New Jersey in the preceding year or cumulatively as lifetime achievements in the field
2. Dedication to the positive development of municipal court practice by publishing, teaching, and serving on municipal court practice committees
3. Commitment to significant and sustained pro bono representation or pro bono service in order to positively effect the administration of justice in municipal courts
4. Leadership in municipal court practice activities on a state, county and local bar association level

The Administrative Office of the Courts does not permit an active judge to receive the award.

Nominations must be in writing and include both the nominator and the nominee's name, address, phone, fax, and email address, along with detailed reasons in support of the nomination. Nominations are confidential and may be sent by mail, fax, or email, which must be received no later than 9 a.m. on April 10.

Nominations can be sent via email to Kenneth Vercammen at [email protected]. Nominations may also be mailed to Vercammen at 2053 Woodbridge Avenue, Edison, NJ 08817, or faxed to 732-572-0030.

Pro Bono Committee

The NJSBA Pro Bono Committee is accepting nominations for its 2019 annual awards, which recognize members of the New Jersey legal profession who exemplify outstanding commitment to providing legal services to the state's underserved residents. Notable contributions to pro bono initiatives, as well as the extent to which the nominee provided direct pro bono assistance, will be considered for each award category, and awards will be presented at the Pro Bono Reception in October.

The awards criteria are:

• Individual: This category recognizes an individual attorney from each of the following: 1) a solo/small firm (one to five attorneys), 2) a medium-size firm (six to 25 attorneys) and 3) a large firm (larger than 26 attorneys).
• Organizational: This category recognizes a law firm, organization, or corporate legal department where the primary purpose is not the provision of free legal services. Both small organizations (two to 25 attorneys) and large organizations (larger than 26 attorneys) may be recognized.
• New Attorney: This category recognizes an attorney in practice for 10 years or less.
• Lifetime Achievement: This category recognizes an attorney in practice for 25 years or more. (Additional criteria include leadership, mentorship and the continuance of pro bono initiatives.)

A complete listing of eligibility criteria and nomination forms can be found at njsba.com.

Forms and required supporting documents should be submitted by 5 p.m. Friday, April 26 to: Christina Pateman, New Jersey State Bar Association, One Constitution Square, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, or via email to [email protected].