The American Bar Association proudly announces the recipients of two of its premier honors recognizing excellence in legal ethics, professionalism and service: Thomas D. Morgan, professor emeritus of law, as the 2026 Michael Franck Professional Responsibility Award recipient, and Portia Britt, assistant prosecuting attorney for St. Louis County, as the 2026 Rosner & Rosner Young Lawyers Professionalism Award recipient.
The Michael Franck Professional Responsibility Award is among the ABA’s highest distinctions, recognizing extraordinary, career-long contributions to legal ethics, disciplinary enforcement and lawyer professionalism. Morgan is widely regarded as one of the most influential scholars in the field of legal ethics. Over several decades, his scholarship, teaching and leadership have shaped the modern understanding of lawyer regulation and professional responsibility in the United States.
Morgan is co-author of “Professional Responsibility: Problems and Materials,” one of the earliest and most widely used casebooks in legal ethics, which helped establish the problem-method approach to teaching the subject and has trained generations of lawyers. His seminal Harvard Law Review article, “The Evolving Concept of Professional Responsibility”, along with an extensive body of scholarship — including “The Vanishing American Lawyer” and his work on the “Restatement (Third) of the Law Governing Lawyers”— has had a lasting impact on debates surrounding lawyer regulation, client protection and the public interest.
In addition to his scholarly contributions, Morgan has played a pivotal role in national professional responsibility initiatives. He served as associate reporter for the ABA Ethics 2000 Commission and reporter for the ABA Commission on Professionalism. A former president of the Association of American Law Schools, his career reflects an unwavering commitment to strengthening the ethical foundation of the legal profession.
The Rosner & Rosner Young Lawyers Professionalism Award recognizes a young lawyer who exemplifies the highest standards of integrity, professionalism and dedication to public service. Britt’s career reflects a sustained commitment to ethical advocacy, civility and the protection of vulnerable individuals within the justice system.
Britt currently serves as an assistant prosecuting attorney with the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, where she prosecutes serious felony matters, including homicides and domestic violence cases. Since returning to the office in September 2025, she has also been appointed to the office’s executive staff, contributing to administrative leadership, personnel matters and public outreach. As intern coordinator, she has strengthened the office’s summer intern program through expanded educational opportunities and structured mentorship.
Earlier in her career, Britt served as an assistant circuit attorney for the City of St. Louis in the Special Victims Unit, focusing on survivors of domestic violence. She has also demonstrated excellence in civil and appellate advocacy as an associate county counselor for St. Louis County, arguing cases before the Missouri Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit. Her service as a municipal court judge for the City of Cool Valley further reflects her commitment to fairness, accountability and the rule of law.
Beyond her courtroom practice, Britt has emerged as a national leader within the legal profession through her service in the ABA Young Lawyers Division. She has advanced initiatives promoting fairness, transparency and inclusion, and served as speaker of the Young Lawyers Division Assembly, where she acted as chief legislative officer and facilitated civil, informed debate on issues affecting the profession. Her service on the Missouri Bar Disciplinary Committee further demonstrates her dedication to ethical accountability.
“Portia Britt embodies the values this award is meant to honor,” said her nominator, Melissa Price Smith, prosecuting attorney for St. Louis County. “She models civility in adversarial settings, integrity in decision-making, accountability in leadership and service above self.”
Both awards will be presented during the ABA National Conference on Professional Responsibility, held May 27–29, 2026, at the UCLA Luskin Conference Center in Los Angeles.
The Michael Franck Professional Responsibility Award is among the ABA’s highest distinctions, recognizing extraordinary, career-long contributions to legal ethics, disciplinary enforcement and lawyer professionalism. Morgan is widely regarded as one of the most influential scholars in the field of legal ethics. Over several decades, his scholarship, teaching and leadership have shaped the modern understanding of lawyer regulation and professional responsibility in the United States.
Morgan is co-author of “Professional Responsibility: Problems and Materials,” one of the earliest and most widely used casebooks in legal ethics, which helped establish the problem-method approach to teaching the subject and has trained generations of lawyers. His seminal Harvard Law Review article, “The Evolving Concept of Professional Responsibility”, along with an extensive body of scholarship — including “The Vanishing American Lawyer” and his work on the “Restatement (Third) of the Law Governing Lawyers”— has had a lasting impact on debates surrounding lawyer regulation, client protection and the public interest.
In addition to his scholarly contributions, Morgan has played a pivotal role in national professional responsibility initiatives. He served as associate reporter for the ABA Ethics 2000 Commission and reporter for the ABA Commission on Professionalism. A former president of the Association of American Law Schools, his career reflects an unwavering commitment to strengthening the ethical foundation of the legal profession.
The Rosner & Rosner Young Lawyers Professionalism Award recognizes a young lawyer who exemplifies the highest standards of integrity, professionalism and dedication to public service. Britt’s career reflects a sustained commitment to ethical advocacy, civility and the protection of vulnerable individuals within the justice system.
Britt currently serves as an assistant prosecuting attorney with the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, where she prosecutes serious felony matters, including homicides and domestic violence cases. Since returning to the office in September 2025, she has also been appointed to the office’s executive staff, contributing to administrative leadership, personnel matters and public outreach. As intern coordinator, she has strengthened the office’s summer intern program through expanded educational opportunities and structured mentorship.
Earlier in her career, Britt served as an assistant circuit attorney for the City of St. Louis in the Special Victims Unit, focusing on survivors of domestic violence. She has also demonstrated excellence in civil and appellate advocacy as an associate county counselor for St. Louis County, arguing cases before the Missouri Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit. Her service as a municipal court judge for the City of Cool Valley further reflects her commitment to fairness, accountability and the rule of law.
Beyond her courtroom practice, Britt has emerged as a national leader within the legal profession through her service in the ABA Young Lawyers Division. She has advanced initiatives promoting fairness, transparency and inclusion, and served as speaker of the Young Lawyers Division Assembly, where she acted as chief legislative officer and facilitated civil, informed debate on issues affecting the profession. Her service on the Missouri Bar Disciplinary Committee further demonstrates her dedication to ethical accountability.
“Portia Britt embodies the values this award is meant to honor,” said her nominator, Melissa Price Smith, prosecuting attorney for St. Louis County. “She models civility in adversarial settings, integrity in decision-making, accountability in leadership and service above self.”
Both awards will be presented during the ABA National Conference on Professional Responsibility, held May 27–29, 2026, at the UCLA Luskin Conference Center in Los Angeles.
