ABA announces more awards to be presented in Chicago

Oklahoma City lawyer Mark Robertson to receive Samuel S. Smith Award from American Bar Association

The American Bar Association Law Practice Division will honor Oklahoma City attorney Mark Robertson with its Samuel S. Smith Award, given annually to an individual who has demonstrated excellence in law practice management throughout their lifetime.

Robertson, a partner at Robertson & Williams, will receive the award at a reception in his honor on July 30 at the ABA Annual Meeting in Chicago.

Robertson is a former chair of the ABA Law Practice Division. He currently serves as a delegate from the Law Practice Division to the ABA House of Delegates and is on the nominating committee of the House. He is a fellow and trustee of the College of Law Practice Management. He served actively on the editorial board for Law Practice Magazine and on the publishing board for a number of years and currently serves on the education board.

He attended the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, is a graduate of DePauw University and received his J.D. from the University of Oklahoma. Robertson is a frequent lecturer on small and mid-sized law firm marketing and management issues. He authored several books for the ABA, including the recently published Alternative Fees for Business Lawyers and Their Clients. "Mark has been and continues to be a committed and valuable member of the Law Practice Division. He is an exemplary recipient of the Sam Smith Award," said Robert Young, chair of the ABA Law Practice Division.

The Samuel S. Smith Award was established in 1990. Past recipients include Jay Foonberg, Gary Munneke and Roberta Cooper Ramo.

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Chicago lawyer Bruce Pfaff to receive Pursuit of Justice Award from American Bar Association

The American Bar Association Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section will honor Chicago attorney Bruce Robert Pfaff with its Pursuit of Justice Award, which recognizes lawyers and judges who have shown outstanding merit and who excel in providing access to justice for all.

The award will be presented during the ABA Annual Meeting in Chicago at the TIPS Welcome and Liberty Achievement Award Reception on Friday, July 31, at 6:30 p.m. at the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 East Washington Street.

"The TIPS Plaintiffs Policy Task Force was very pleased to nominate Bruce Robert Pfaff for the Pursuit of Justice Award," said Michael W. Drumke, chair of Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section. "Over the course of his career, Bruce has worked tirelessly to obtain the best possible results for his clients and those results are a testament to his skill and dedication as a trial lawyer. His efforts on behalf of his clients have made a real difference in their lives. He is a highly respected member of the civil trial bar here in Chicago, and he is recognized by his peers as a consummate professional."

Pfaff, of Pfaff, Gill & Ports, Ltd., has been a trial lawyer since 1979 and represents people injured or killed by wrongful conduct. Bruce has represented clients in cases involving unsafe or defective products, medical malpractice by doctors and hospital personnel, careless driving, poor maintenance of property, sexual assault, legal malpractice and other forms of personal injury cases in Chicago.

In addition to representing clients and managing the firm, Pfaff writes Friend of the Court briefs for the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association and for the American Board of Trial Advocates. He has been inducted as a Fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, the International Society of Barristers and the American Board of Trial Advocates.

Pfaff, who earned his B.A. degree from Dartmouth College in 1976 and his J.D. in 1979 from the University of California, Hastings College of Law, holds the highest possible ratings from Martindale-Hubbell and AVVO.com. He is among the top 100 of Illinois Super Lawyers as recognized by Chicago Magazine and has been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America for personal injury and medical negligence law.

Published: Tue, Jul 21, 2015