We are very pleased to announce that Tex Pasley and Amber Strickland will receive this year's Claire M. Corcoran Awards. Both students, who incidentally were recently elected co-presidents of the Law & Public Service program, have had a stellar impact both in the Law School and beyond. 

Tex has worked on an extraordinary range of issues through his pro bono work with a diverse group of organizations—including the Innocence Project, the No Exception Prison Collective, the Virginia Legislative Committee on Mental Health, and the Legal Aid Justice Center. In addition to the LPS Board, he has been a leader in the National Lawyers Guild and a co-founder of the Virginia Law Prison Project. He spent his first summer working for Colorado Legal Services and will work this summer with the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law in Chicago. 

In the words of one recommender, "Through his amazing work so far, Tex has helped countless clients retain their homes, jobs, and rights, and has helped countless law students become better public interest advocates. His enthusiasm is infectious[.]"

Amber spent the year before law school working with the International Justice Mission in Bangalore, India, combatting forced labor slavery. She remains involved with that organization, and has also worked many hours with the Innocence Project here. As an LPS Board Member this year, she launched the Program's blog. She has also been a leader in BLSA, traveling to Uganda on a service trip during 1L and organizing this year's trip to South Africa. Her first summer was with the Civil Rights Section in the U.S. Department of Justice and this coming summer she'll work for the Racial Justice Program with the American Civil Liberties Union. 

One recommender writes: "There are very few people that I admire in this world more than Amber, primarily because her work product is impeccable, her kindness is selfless, and her character is unparalleled. She is not only passionately dedicated to public service, but passionately dedicated to shining her light brightly to make the world a better place through her love and grace." 

Please join us in congratulating Tex and Amber and thanking them for all the great work that they do. Thanks also to everyone who submitted nominations and those who served on the selection committee.  

PILA would like to thank the outgoing board for everything they have done for the UVA Law public service community, and congratulate next year's board on their election.  Looking forward to a great year!  

The 2016-2017 PILA board will consist of: 

President: Teresa Hepler
Disbursements Director: Alex Haden
Treasurer: Daniel Boger
Outreach Director: Emily Mordecai

Auction Team:
Julia Maloney (Director)
Nicole Lawler (Logistics)
Jason Boyle (Business Solicitations)
Daniel Temkin (Business Solicitations)
 Jennifer Lee (School Solicitations)
 Dre Thuijs (School Solicitations)

Membership Team:
Michelle Garafalo
Megan Keenan
Shannon Lane
Ryan Pavel
Anna Mills
Cory Sagduyu