awards – Legal Services Alabama https://legalservicesalabama.org Thu, 14 May 2026 20:46:37 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.4 https://legalservicesalabama.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/cropped-LSA_Mark_SiteIcon-1-32x32.jpg awards – Legal Services Alabama https://legalservicesalabama.org 32 32 7th Annual Justice, Fairness, & Hope Awards https://legalservicesalabama.org/7th-annual-justice-fairness-hope-awards/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=7th-annual-justice-fairness-hope-awards Thu, 14 May 2026 20:35:05 +0000 https://legalservicesalabama.org/?p=15482

LSA hosted our 7th Annual Justice, Fairness, & Hope Awards Luncheon in downtown Montgomery on May 7, 2026.

Guy Lescault, LSA Executive Director, thanks the Justice, Fairness, & Hope Awards Host Committee for their selection of the 2026 award recipients.

Each award recipient has demonstrated their commitment to advancing access to justice in Alabama and reflect the leadership of the three individuals for whom the awards are named—Tommy Wells, Taze Shepard, and John Lewis.

Guy Lescault, LSA Executive Director

The Justice, Fairness & Hope Awards provides an opportunity to acknowledge the exceptional individuals who have played pivotal roles in advancing access to justice across the state, while raising funds to endow the next class of LSA John Lewis Legal Fellows.

2026 Awards Luncheon on WSFA

2026 Awards Recipients

Tommy Wells Access to Justice Award

Judge Myron Thompson

A longtime federal jurist serving on the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama, Judge Myron Thompson was appointed in 1980 and later served as Chief Judge from 1991 to 1998. He has presided over numerous significant cases involving civil rights, voting rights, prison conditions, policing practices, and redistricting, earning recognition for his thoughtful and impactful decisions. He has also been active in preserving civil rights history in Alabama and has received multiple awards for his contributions to public service and the legal profession.

Taze Shepard Pro Bono Fairness Award

Tom Perry & Tom Heflin | Harvesters of Hope

Harvesters of Hope is an initiative of the Alabama State Bar launched in 2024 during Tom Perry’s term as president and was developed in collaboration with attorney Tom Heflin to address serious gaps in legal representation in rural areas across the state. The campaign was organized in response to data that demonstrated rural geographies in Alabama have too few lawyers, creating “legal deserts” where residents lack meaningful access to legal services. Perry and Heflin dubbed these regions “Legal Opportunity Zones” and worked to recruit and support attorneys who could establish a consistent presence in these rural areas. The initiative also helped form a nonprofit foundation, Harvesters of Hope, to continue the initiative’s success long-term.

John Lewis Hope Award

State Senator Vivian Davis Figures

Vivian Davis Figures is a longtime Alabama public servant and respected civil rights leader who has represented Mobile in the Alabama State Senate for decades. Throughout her career, she has been a steady voice on issues such as education, economic development, voting rights, and criminal justice, earning a reputation for principled leadership and deep community ties. She is part of a distinguished family legacy of public service including her late husband, Michael Figures, who served as a U.S. Senator from Alabama, and her son, Shomari Figures, who serves as the Representative for Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The event was attended by representatives of Alabama business, elite law firms, community advocates, and elected officials, including Justice Award presenter Chief Justice Sarah Stewart and Fairness Award presenter Doug Jones.

In addition to an in-person presentation by LSA board member and former board president, Yvonne Saxon, Esq., Sen. Vivian Figures received a video presentation of the John Lewis Hope Award from her son, U.S. Representative Shomari Figures.

Rep. Shomari Figures Presents Hope Award to Vivian Figures

Thank You to Our John Lewis Legal Fellowship

SPONSORS

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]]> Meet Our 2026 Justice, Fairness & Hope Award Recipients https://legalservicesalabama.org/meet-our-2026-justice-fairness-hope-award-recipients/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=meet-our-2026-justice-fairness-hope-award-recipients Tue, 03 Feb 2026 21:00:20 +0000 https://legalservicesalabama.org/?p=15337

Legal Services Alabama (LSA) is proud to announce the distinguished recipients of its annual Justice, Fairness, & Hope Awards, recognizing outstanding contributions to the pursuit of justice through legal advocacy in Alabama.

Guy Lescault, LSA Executive Director, thanks the Justice, Fairness & Hope Awards Host Committee for their selection of the 2026 award recipients.

“Each award recipient has demonstrated their commitment to advancing access to justice in Alabama and reflect the leadership of the three individuals for whom the awards are named—Tommy Wells, Taze Shepard and John Lewis,” says Lescault.

LSA has served Alabama communities for over two decades, providing critical support to individuals facing legal challenges. The Justice, Fairness & Hope Awards provides an opportunity to acknowledge the exceptional individuals who have played pivotal roles in advancing access to justice across the state, while raising funds to endow the next class of LSA John Lewis Legal Fellows.

Tommy wells access to justice award

Judge Myron Thompson

A longtime federal jurist serving on the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama, Judge Myron Thompson was appointed in 1980 and later served as Chief Judge from 1991 to 1998. He has presided over numerous significant cases involving civil rights, voting rights, prison conditions, policing practices, and redistricting, earning recognition for his thoughtful and impactful decisions. He has also been active in preserving civil rights history in Alabama and has received multiple awards for his contributions to public service and the legal profession.

Taze Shepard Pro Bono Fairness Award

Attorneys Tom Perry & Tom Heflin |
Harvesters of Hope

Harvesting Hope is an initiative of the Alabama State Bar launched in 2024 during Tom Perry’s term as president and was developed in collaboration with attorney Tom Heflin to address serious gaps in legal representation in rural areas across the state. The campaign was organized in response to data that demonstrated rural geographies in Alabama have too few lawyers, creating “legal deserts” where residents lack meaningful access to legal services. Perry and Heflin dubbed these regions “Legal Opportunity Zones” and worked to recruit and support attorneys who could establish a consistent presence in these rural areas. The initiative also helped form a nonprofit foundation, Harvesters of Hope, to continue the initiative’s success long-term.

John Lewis Hope Award

State Senator Vivian Figures

Vivian Figures is a longtime Alabama public servant and respected civil rights leader who has represented Mobile in the Alabama State Senate for decades. Throughout her career, she has been a steady voice on issues such as education, economic development, voting rights, and criminal justice, earning a reputation for principled leadership and deep community ties. She is part of a distinguished family legacy of public service including her late husband, Michael Figures, who served as a U.S. Senator from Alabama, and her son, Shomari Figures, who serves as the Representative for Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.

LSA’s 7th Annual Justice, Fairness, & Hope Awards luncheon will take place at noon on May 7 at the RSA Activity Center, 201 Dexter Ave Montgomery, AL 36104. LSA looks forward to the continued collaboration with its dedicated partners, supporters, and the broader community as it works to fulfill its mission of increased access to justice for all in Alabama.

Click Here to Learn More About the Annual Justice, Fairness & Hope Awards
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