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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>On Behalf Of </span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>Faye Kuo<br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, January 03, 2012 12:29 PM<br><b>Subject:</b> Hearne Award nominations<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.4in'><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.4in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#222222'>On behalf of the Commission's Hearne Award committee, I am pleased to announce that nominations for the Hearne Award are now being accepted.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.4in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.4in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#222222'>Since 1999, the Hearne Award is the ABA's long standing recognizance of the excellent work people have done to advance the cause for of people with disabilities. Previous Hearne Awardees have included Dr. Marc Maurer and Daniel Goldstein (2011), the Disability Rights Legal Center (2010), and Claudia B. Center (2009).<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.4in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.4in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#222222'>More information about the nomination process can be found at the following URL: <a href="http://apps.americanbar.org/members/forms/HearneAward.html" target="_blank"><span style='color:#1155CC'>http://apps.americanbar.org/members/forms/HearneAward.html</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.4in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.4in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#222222'>I encourage everyone to pass along this information to any and all that would be interested so that we can continue to recognize the dedication and passion that people have brought for disability rights.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.4in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.4in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#222222'>I hope everyone has been enjoying the holidays. Here's to a great start to 2012 for us all!<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.4in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.4in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#222222'>Best regards,<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.4in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.4in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#222222'>Faye Kuo<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.4in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#222222'>Chair of the Hearne Award Committee<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>ABOUT THE AWARD<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>The Hearne Award, created in 1999 by the American Bar Association Commission on Disability Rights, honors the work of Paul G. Hearne, a lawyer who was born with a connective tissue disorder. Although Mr. Hearne’s disease limited his growth to less than four feet and restricted his movement, his mark on the disability rights movement, especially from a legal perspective, was tremendous. He founded the first legal services office in New York for people with disabilities, authored the first national legal handbook on disability rights, and helped draft the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. The award is presented to an individual who has performed exemplary service in the furtherance of access to justice for people with disabilities, or to an organization or group that furthers the goal of full participation for people with disabilities in society.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>SELECTION CRITERIA<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Nominate an individual or an organization/group that performed exemplary service in the furtherance of access to justice for people with disabilities or furthers the goal of full participation for people with disabilities in society. Examples of eligible organizations or groups include: (1) disability advocacy organizations; (2) a law firm or law practice; (3) a state or local bar association; (4) a nonprofit legal services program; (5) a law school clinic or academic-affiliated program; or (6) a law-related program providing representation for people with disabilities. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>The following individuals and organizations/groups are ineligible: <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>1. self-nominations; <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>2. a current member of the Commission or his or her immediate family members; or <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>3. an individual that works at the same organization, company, or entity as a current Commission member, or an organization, company, or entity where a current Commission member works.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>INSTRUCTIONS<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>No application will be considered until the Commission on Disability Rights has received the complete application that includes: the nomination form; a description of your nominee's qualifications (no more than two pages inserted below); and a list of your nominee's accomplishments (no more than ten pages inserted below). Note: attachments are limited to files 2.5 MB in size and to the following file type: adobe pdf. All documents must be received or postmarked by April 15, 2012. For questions, please contact Michael J. Stratton at 202-662-1571 (phone) or cdr@americanbar.org (e-mail).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>For more details about the Hearne Award, please visit: <a href="http://www.americanbar.org/disabilityrights">http://www.americanbar.org/disabilityrights</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></div></div></body></html>