Award applications are Open
The primary goal of this program is to encourage younger federal lawyers throughout the nation and overseas to attain high standards of professional achievement and to accord public recognition for outstanding performance.
Award Eligibility
The following criteria are suggested for the guidance of the judges in selecting nominees. They are not intended to be all-inclusive, nor is the absence of any deemed to be a disqualifying factor:
- Professional Achievements. A nominee may be qualified by outstanding legal ability and performance over a sustained period, or because of a specific accomplishment for which he or she is primarily responsible. Regardless of whether the achievements are of a general or a specific nature, they should have resulted in a significant benefit to the federal government and the legal profession and contributed to the development of public law.
- Professional and Community Responsibilities. A nominee may also be qualified because of a significant contribution to the legal profession and/or community not necessarily required by the nominee’s government position.
Eligibility Requirements
Any civilian or military attorney who is employed by the U.S. government shall be eligible to receive an award except that:
- No nominee will be considered if he or she has reached or will reach the age of 40 before September 1 of the current fiscal year;
- No nominee will be considered if, at the time the award is presented, he or she has served with the government as an attorney less than three continuous years;
- No nominee will be considered for an award if the services constituting the primary basis for his or her nomination were required because of a political consideration; and
- All national officers and members of the Younger Lawyers Division Board of Directors are ineligible to receive an award.
If you have any questions regarding this application, please contact awards@fedbar.org.
Award Nomination Letter Requirements
- The first paragraph of the first page must state the following: 1) the name, date of birth, and official business address of the nominee; 2) the total number of years during which he or she served in the U.S. government; and 3) the departments or agencies in which he or she served or is presently serving.
- The following paragraphs of the nomination should develop and expand on the substantive reasons why the nominee is believed to qualify. Specificity is extremely important.
- The nomination should not exceed 1,500 words in length. Cover letters are not included in this length and will not be transmitted to the panel of judges. No nomination which exceeds 1,500 words will be sent to the judges for consideration.
- Nominations require the signatures of any three federal attorneys or officials (civilian or military). Nominators’ signatures and their official addresses must be placed on the last page of the nomination.
Please indicate if the nominator is currently a member of the FBA and/or if the nominee is currently a member of the FBA. If either the nominator or nominee is not currently a member of the FBA, please indicate if they are interested in joining the FBA. Membership in the FBA is not a prerequisite for entry or selection and it will not have a bearing on nominee selection.
If you have any questions regarding this application, please contact awards@fedbar.org.
Please fill out the following fields in full and upload all supporting documents.