Hennepin County Bar Association Recognizes Lawyers for Pro Bono Service

Minneapolis (3-23-04): -- The annual Pro Bono Publico awards of the Hennepin County Bar Association (HCBA) were presented Tuesday, during the 2004 Bar Benefit, to three individuals who have distinguished themselves in service to the community. Receiving awards were Steven E. Carlson, Laurel E. Learmonth and the Hon. Lloyd B. Zimmerman.

Three distinct award categories honor the dedication of volunteer services provided by Hennepin County lawyers. The Distinguished Service Award recognizes an individual for career-long work on behalf of the community and the two Excellence Awards recognize current or recent excellence in service by individuals – one from the Private Sector and one from the Public/Government/Judicial Sector.

Steven E. Carlson, recipient of the Distinguished Service Award, has been a pro bono leader with a sustained commitment to international human rights. He has, for over a decade, been a critical part of Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights work, ensuring that the delivery of free legal services to asylum seekers and the substantial law-related education efforts of the organization have flourished.

Carlson’s commitment to victims of human rights violations has been unwavering in many channels. He brought his Middle East expertise to producing one of the only reports on Saudi Arabia’s human rights violations. He has contributed to various investigative fact-finding missions, and has served as board chairman in the less glamorous and less visible administrative leadership.

Carlson’s pro bono service stems from his commitment to the core principles of international human rights—justice, accountability, human dignity and freedom—and is also reflected in service beyond his work for Minnesota Advocates. This year, at the request of the ABA, he led a team that for over five months focused on the impact of changes made by the Department of Justice to the Board of Immigration Appeals.

Carlson’s own service—providing over 600 hours of pro bono service in the last two years—also inspires others in his profession to meet the challenge of pro bono service. His example sets a high standard at the Dorsey law firm, where the firm has met the ABA pro bono challenge every year since enrolling as a charter member nine years ago.

Steve Carlson is a partner at the law firm of Dorsey & Whitney LLP, practicing in the Banking and Corporate practice groups.

The Honorable Lloyd B. Zimmerman, recipient of the Excellence by a Public/Government/ Judicial Sector Attorney award has been devoted to public service throughout his career. When asked to identify the most valuable thing he took from law school he responded simply, "the tools to help people."

Judge Zimmerman is an advocate for full access to the legal system by those who are in need, and has tirelessly championed this cause over the years both in his volunteering and also in the positions he has chosen in which to use his legal training. He assisted the U.S. Attorney’s office in a special prosecution of a congressman who was taking bribes. He worked for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, the ACLU, and the Harvard Center for Law and Education. He provided legal assistance to indigent clients through NYU criminal law clinic and Correctional Association of New York’s legal aid clinic.

Judge Zimmerman has been involved in pro bono activities for many years. He was an active volunteer with Volunteer Lawyers Network and was on its board for several years in the 1990s. After his appointment to the Hennepin County District Court bench in 2001, he continued to be involved with pro bono efforts. He currently sits on the Legal Assistance to the Disadvantaged committee of the Minnesota State Bar Association (MSBA)and on the Legal Services Review Task Force of the Hennepin County Bar Association. In addition the judge has played a key role in the Fourth Judicial District response to the pro bono challenge of MSBA President Jim Baillie. He has helped organize the group of judges and lawyers that will implement efforts to recruit 500 new attorney volunteers to handle 1000 new pro bono cases during the current year.

Laurel E. Learmonth, recipient of the Excellence by a Private Sector Attorney, is the epitome of a committed volunteer. "She is the ideal," says Volunteer Lawyers Network (VLN), in whose service Learmonth has invested innumerable hours since 1984. Learmonth has provided direct representation to clients in the area of family law while also giving extensively of her time behind the scenes serving on the board and various committees.

Learmonth began her volunteer duties with VLN on a monthly basis advising family law clients through the phone advice panel. Almost nineteen years later, she remains a regular volunteer on this panel. Additionally, she has become VLN’s "go to" volunteer when a client needs immediate, emergency phone advice in a family law matter. She also provides direct representation in court for family law matters.

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