2012 ABA PAUL G. HEARNE AWARD NOMINATION FORM
ABOUT THE AWARD
The Hearne Award, created in 1999 by the American Bar Association Commission on Disability Rights, honors the work of Paul G. Hearne, a lawyer who was born with a connective tissue disorder. Although Mr. Hearne’s disease limited his growth to less than four feet and restricted his movement, his mark on the disability rights movement, especially from a legal perspective, was tremendous. He founded the first legal services office in New York for people with disabilities, authored the first national legal handbook on disability rights, and helped draft the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. The award is presented to an individual who has performed exemplary service in the furtherance of access to justice for people with disabilities, or to an organization or group that furthers the goal of full participation for people with disabilities in society.
SELECTION CRITERIA
Nominate an individual or an organization/group that performed exemplary service in the furtherance of access to justice for people with disabilities or furthers the goal of full participation for people with disabilities in society. Examples of eligible organizations or groups include: (1) disability advocacy organizations; (2) a law firm or law practice; (3) a state or local bar association; (4) a nonprofit legal services program; (5) a law school clinic or academic-affiliated program; or (6) a law-related program providing representation for people with disabilities.
The following individuals and organizations/groups are ineligible:
- self-nominations;
- a current member of the Commission or his or her immediate family members; or
- an individual that works at the same organization, company, or entity as a current Commission member, or an organization, company, or entity where a current Commission member works.
INSTRUCTIONS
No application will be considered until the Commission on Disability Rights has received the complete application that includes: the nomination form; a description of your nominee's qualifications (no more than two pages inserted below); and a list of your nominee's accomplishments (no more than ten pages inserted below). Note: attachments are limited to files 2.5 MB in size and to the following file type: adobe pdf. All documents must be received or postmarked by April 15, 2012. For questions, please contact Michael J. Stratton at 202-662-1571 (phone) or cdr@americanbar.org (e-mail).
For more details about the Hearne Award, please visit: http://www.americanbar.org/disabilityrights

