LSEM honors 12 for service to the region

Legal Services of Eastern Missouri honored 12 attorneys, lawmakers and community leaders and organizations for their work to benefit the region at its 2019 For The Common Good Awards Aug. 16 at The Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis.

The annual awards recognize those who partner with LSEM to provide child advocacy, pro bono assistance, legislative collaboration and legal and community services. Those honored included:

• Former U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Sr., now of Armstrong Teasdale, in recognition of his longtime work with and support of LSEM, with the Robert Walston Chubb Award, named for a founder of the forerunner of LSEM
• Marygrove, an organization that provides resident care and treatment for children, teens and young adults with behavioral and psychiatric disorders, with the Ashley Award for Child Advocacy
• Accounting firm BDO USA, which provides volunteer help and training for low-income nonprofit organizations, with the Richard B. Teitelman Distinguished Service Award
• Home Sweet Home, a nonprofit furniture bank that serves clients referred from other nonprofit organizations, with the Edna M. Taylor Client Service Advocacy Award
• Dana Malkus, an associate clinical professor at Saint Louis University School of Law and chair of the marketing and engagement work group for the Saint Louis Vacancy Collaborative, with the Melton M. Lewis Equal Justice Award
• Mary Sullivan-Thomas, chair of the Lincoln County Domestic Violence Court Advisory Committee, and the Saint Louis Crisis Nursery, with the Eddie Mae Binion Community Service Award
• April Waugh, assistant general counsel at Citi who has assisted LSEM with domestic-violence cases, with the F. William McCalpin Pro Bono Award
• Steve Shredi  of Thompson Coburn, who provides pro bono assistance for LSEM clients in landlord-tenant and housing cases, with the John R. Essner  Young Lawyer of the Year Award

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  The Washington University in St. Louis Office of General Counsel, which provides pro bono service at LSEM legal clinics and assists low-income entrepreneurs, with the Gerald R. Ortbals Outstanding Law Practice Award

• State Sens. S. Kiki Curls of Kansas City and Jamilah Nasheed of St. Louis, who co-sponsored a bill to provide protection for individuals and neighborhood associations in efforts to reduce vacant and abandoned properties, with the Rory Ellinger Legislative Award.