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Sen. Dan Sullivan receives LSC Champion of Justice Award, highlights pro bono expansion
Summary
The Legal Services Corporation presented its Champion of Justice Award to Sen. Dan Sullivan, who underscored Alaska’s domestic-violence challenges and praised pro bono summits and the federal Power Act that mobilize volunteer attorneys for survivors.
Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska received the Legal Services Corporation’s Champion of Justice Award at the forum and used his remarks to spotlight pro bono efforts and the particular domestic-violence challenges facing Alaska.
Father Pius Pietrzyk, LSC vice chair, presented the award and noted Sullivan’s leadership on initiatives such as Alaska’s Choose Respect campaign and efforts to expand legal help for survivors in rural communities.
In his remarks, Sullivan described pro bono summits and the Pro Bono Work to Empower and Represent (Power) Act, which encourages federal-district judges to convene pro bono opportunities for survivors. He said the effort mobilized large numbers of volunteer attorneys and credited pro bono summits with connecting survivors to lawyers who can stabilize housing and safety. "There is no single panacea to stop domestic violence… but the number one thing that comes the closest is getting a survivor a lawyer," Sullivan said.
Sullivan also drew attention to alarming statistics in Alaska—particularly for Alaska Native women—and urged continued bipartisan support for expanding legal representation and resources in remote and rural communities. LSC leaders said they will continue partnership work and reported using LSC funds such as the Pro Bono Innovation Fund to support expansion in Alaska.
