Hennepin County Bar Association Honors Richard Nigon with 2008 Advancement of Justice Award

Minneapolis (5-22-08): --  The Hennepin County Bar Association (HCBA) is pleased to announce Richard Nigon as the recipient of the 2008 Advancement of Justice Award.  Presentation of the award was made May 22 at the HCBA Annual Meeting.

     The Advancement of Justice Award is the only award given by the HCBA to honor the work of an agency or individual who is not a lawyer.  The award is given in recognition of contributions toward improving the administration of justice, achieving freedom through law, or increasing the public’s understanding of the legal profession and justice system.

     The award was given to Richard Nigon, Chief Financial Officer at the law firm of Robins Kaplan Miller & Ciresi, to recognize his volunteer work for the Children’s Law Center of Minnesota (CLC).  Nigon has been a volunteer for CLC since 1998, serving as chair of CLC’s Finance Committee, joining CLC’s Board of Directors in 2001, and serving as CLC Board President from 2003 to 2004.

     Nigon has spent hundreds of hours overseeing and working on the financial documents of the CLC.  The small nonprofit does not have a professional accountant; Nigon fills that role voluntarily.  CLC’s Executive Director, Gail Chang Bohr said, “Just as CLC depends on its volunteer lawyers to represent children in abuse and neglect proceedings, CLC also depends on its Finance Committee to describe its financial picture to donors. Dick’s expertise and ability to explain what the numbers mean builds confidence and ensures a healthy organization.”

     Also a volunteer and active member of the Association of Legal Administrators (ALA), Nigon encourages other legal administrators and chief financial officers to volunteer for CLC.  He and the other legal administrators help so that the lawyers can “get [their] work done for the children.”

     Nigon has an A.A. in Business from Rochester Community College, a B.A. in Accounting from Winona State University, and an M.B.A. from the University of St. Thomas. 

     The Hennepin County Bar Association, the largest of Minnesota's 21 county bar associations and representing almost half of Minnesota's attorneys, is a private, non-profit organization which provides or supports many free or low-cost services to the public including: Volunteer Lawyers Network which provides free legal advice for low income people; TEL-LAW, a legal information message system available at no charge in local calling areas; Lawyer Referral and Information Services; public education programming; and financial grants through the Bar Foundation.

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