The Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) presented two County Bar Recognition Awards to the Erie County Bar Association during the 50th Annual Seminar of the Conference of County Bar Leaders, Feb. 25 – 27, at the Nittany Lion Inn, State College.

Recognized for its Senior Lawyer Project and its educational efforts about judicial elections, the Erie County Bar Association is one of 24 local bar associations in Pennsylvania honored this year for sponsoring projects that improve the legal profession, justice system or community. The awards are presented annually by the PBA.

“Numerous projects and programs aimed at improving communities and the legal profession are successfully completed each year thanks to the voluntary efforts of lawyers involved in local bar associations,” said William H. Pugh V, PBA president. “We are proud to highlight their good works and hope this recognition inspires more legal professionals to participate in future efforts.”

To preserve the memories of its older members, the Erie County Bar Association launched the Senior Lawyer Project. Twelve highly-regarded senior lawyers were professionally videotaped answering questions about the practice of law, the association and their personal histories. After editing, the 90-minute final product was posted on the association’s website.

During last fall’s historic election of appellate court and Erie County Court of Common Pleas judges, the association repeatedly promoted the public’s use of candidate information posted on the association’s website and the PBA’s website to encourage informed voting decisions. An op-ed piece and local election plebiscites were published in the local newspaper. The association also supported the newspaper’s publication of a Voter Guide.

The Conference of County Bar Leaders, whose membership includes leaders from county bar associations throughout the state and from the PBA, organizes a yearly educational conference focusing on the exchange of innovative bar association projects and ideas and on the development of mutually-beneficial relationships among bar leaders that improve the legal profession.