The ABA Section of State and Local Government Law accepts nominations for the Jefferson B. Fordham Awards in the following categories: Lifetime Achievement; Advocacy; Law Office Accomplishment; and Up and Comers. Submit your nominations to SLG Director, Tamara Edmonds Askew, deadline is March 28, 2025.
Nominations for recipients in each of the four categories must be submitted by March 28, in the following format with all the information requested:
The Section of State and Local Government law elected Jefferson B. Fordham as the first Chair in 1949 During his years of outstanding service, the Section became the distinguished national resource for the advancement of state, local, regional and tribal government law practice.
His 1949 case book on Local Government Law revolutionized teaching and addressed dynamic legal issues such as planning and finance, housing and blight, transportation and congestion; in short, the entire range of urban problems whose solutions required a larger concept of community. He pioneered the concepts of home rule and the landmark decisions sustaining interdisciplinary studies under Bar sponsorship, and he was a visionary in teaching that the tough problems of local government did not lend themselves to simplistic solutions.
In 1998, the ABA Section of State and Local Government Law was inspired to establish the Jefferson B. Fordham Awards to honor the accomplishments of practitioners and institutions active in the varied areas of practice associated with state, local, regional and tribal government law.
The Award may be presented in the following categories on an annual basis:
Develop innovative programs, provide opportunity to engage in vibrant projects, and recognize the accomplishments of our leaders. Impact fundamental rights to life and liberty."
We also accept nominations for our Elizabeth Clark Young Lawyers Fellowship. Nomination deadline is July 28, 2025.
Elizabeth Clark was a highly respected leader of the State and Local Government Law Section with a passion for mentoring our young attorneys of color. As senior counsel at Allen Matkins in San Francisco, Elizabeth focused on renewable energy and sustainable development while dedicating a significant amount of her time to pro bono activities.
In her memory, we have put in place a prestigious fellowship with the explicit objective to profoundly sustain Elizabeth's commitment to bringing about a more inclusive legal profession. The Elizabeth Clark Young Lawyers Fellowship will be awarded to a young lawyer whose past efforts and accomplishments show great promise for excellence in the practice of public law.
The Fellowship gives recipients access to:
The Section of State & Local Government Law gratefully acknowledges Allen Matkins LLP for its investment of $1,000 , matched by partner Barry H. Epstein Esq. to the Elizabeth Clark Young Lawyers Fellowship. This generous contribution will enable us to continue to provide diverse young attorneys with the opportunity to follow in Elizabeth's footsteps. We encourage Elizabeth's friends, family and colleagues to join in this effort to sustain this ongoing fellowship.
Your charitable contribution, designated to the Elizabeth Clark Young Lawyers Fellowship, will open the door for diverse young attorneys to participate fully in the Section of State and Local Government Law and in the legal profession overall.
Please make your generous contribution — online or by mail — to support the Elizabeth Clark Young Lawyers Fellowship this year and in those to come so it may continue perpetually. Thank you!
Elizabeth Clark Young Lawyers Fellowship
ABA Fund for Justice and Education
321 N Clark St, Floor 20
Chicago, IL 60654
