The Arthur W. Machen, Jr. Award was presented to Carl R. Gold, of the Law Offices of Carl R. Gold and professor at Towson University, who throughout his long and established career, has had a strong record of support of legal services to the poor, especially by providing pro bono services in competency and commitment hearings as well as difficult, long-running special education cases.

Photo (L-R): Chief Judge Robert M. Bell, Carl R. Gold, Board Chair F. Vernon Boozer.

The Benjamin L. Cardin Distinguished Service Award was presented to L. Tracy Brown. Ms. Brown has been a strong advocate of family law and domestic violence issues in a public service career of more than 30 years, including expanding the work of the Women’s Law Center since becoming director in 2001.

Photo (L-R): Board member Judge Pamela J. White, Chief Judge Robert M. Bell, L. Tracy Brown, Board Chair F. Vernon Boozer.

The Benjamin L. Cardin Distinguished Service Award was presented to Deborah Jean Weimer. Ms. Weimer has devoted over 30 years to public service and has been professor and director of the University of Maryland AIDS Legal Clinic since 1987, where she has inspired law students to pursue public interest careers or pro bono service and achieved law reforms benefiting people with HIV/AIDS and their children.

Photo (L-R): Chief Judge Robert M. Bell, Deborah Jean Weimer, Board Chair F. Vernon Boozer, Board member Judge Robert B. Kershaw .

The William L. Marbury Outstanding Advocate Award was presented to Carol Ahlum, a
paralegal with the Legal Aid Bureau of Mid-Western Maryland for 18 years, working as an effective advocate for clients in public benefits proceedings, as an active member in community organizations benefiting low-income people and as a trainer and mentor of other legal services advocates

Photo (L-R): Board member Teri A. Heger, Chief Judge Robert M. Bell, Carol Ahlum, Board Chair F. Vernon Boozer.

The Herbert S. Garten Public Citizen Award was given to Sandy Spring Bank, which has the distinction of being a founding and continuous member of the MLSC and Maryland State Bar Association Interest on Lawyer Trust Accounts (IOLTA) Honor Roll. Sandy Spring Bank continues to demonstrate its support for legal aid and the mission of MLSC by maintaining a higher rate of interest on all IOLTA accounts to help sustain legal services to low-income people in these difficult economic times.

Photo (L-R): Chief Judge Robert M. Bell, Kulley Bancroft and Donald Schuster of Sandy Spring Bank, Board Chair F. Vernon Boozer, Herbert S. Garten, Board member Nathaniel E. Jones, Jr.

At the reception, MLSC presented an Award of Special Recognition to Senator Robert A. (Bobby) Zirkin for his outstanding support for access to justice in the Maryland General Assembly.

Photo (L-R): Chief Judge Robert M. Bell, Josh Wolf,Chief of Staff for Senator Zirkin, Board Chair F. Vernon Boozer.