ABA News GPSolo honors retired judge and four lawyers with Difference Makers Awards

The American Bar Association Solo, Small Firm and General Practice Division has chosen five legal professionals to receive its 2016 Difference Makers Awards for making a difference by breaking down barriers, pro bono work and for service to the community and profession. The award ceremony luncheon will take place at 12:15-1:45 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 30, at the Westin Cincinnati during the GP Solo 2016 Solo & Small Firm Summit. This year's award recipients are: - Difference Makers Award - Jill P. Meyer: President and CEO of Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber. Meyer practiced law for 20 years at Frost Brown Todd, leading the law firm's business development, client relations and civic and charitable initiatives in the Cincinnati market. She earned her B.A. at Mount St. Joseph University in Cincinnati and her J.D. at Northern Kentucky University's Salmon P. Chase College of Law. She recently was awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters from Mount St. Joseph University. - Difference Makers Award by Breaking Barriers - Judge Nathaniel R. Jones (ret.): Judge Jones was born in Youngstown, Ohio, and after serving in the United States Army Air Corps in World War II, he was educated at Youngstown State University. From 1956 to 1959, he was executive director of the Fair Employment Practices Commission of the City of Youngstown. He was appointed as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Ohio in Cleveland, and later served as assistant general counsel to President Lyndon Johnson's National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders. In 1969, Judge Jones became general counsel of the NAACP. In 1979, he was appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. He is honorary co-chair and director of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati. He has taught at several law schools and holds 19 honorary degrees. An internationally renowned civil rights activist, Judge Jones played an important role in the abolition of apartheid in South Africa. The drafters of South Africa's new constitution and laws consulted him, and he conferred with Nelson Mandela upon Mandela's release from 27 years of imprisonment. - Making a Difference through Service to the Community - Robert S. Tintner: A partner and commercial litigator at Fox Rothschild, Tintner focuses on estate litigation, professional responsibility matters, legal malpractice actions, defamation and First Amendment cases, and claims of wrongful use of civil proceedings and abuse of process. He earned his bachelor's and law degrees from the University of Pennsylvania. He is the recipient of the 2015 "Pro Bono Roll of Honor" award; the 2009 Sean Peretta Award for exceptional community service and was selected as a "Pennsylvania Rising Star" by Philadelphia Magazine and Law & Politics magazine in 2006. - Making a Difference through Pro Bono Work - Angela C. Vigil: A pro bono partner and executive director at Baker & McKenzie's Miami office, Vigil has an active practice in the representation of children in children's law, in appellate work and in human rights and civil rights advocacy. Vigil helps lead teams on child welfare, juvenile justice and education issues in federal circuit courts, state supreme courts and in the appellate and trial courts of Florida, focusing on the representation of victims of immigrant children and trafficking victims in Miami and from around the nation. - Making a Difference through Service to the Profession - William K. Weisenberg: A senior policy adviser for the Ohio State Bar Association, Weisenberg has previously served as assistant executive director for public affairs, governmental relations and diversity initiatives. Prior to joining the Ohio State Bar Association staff, he served as chief counsel to the Ohio House of Representatives Judiciary Committee. From 1990 to 1997, Weisenberg served on the Ohio Commission on Dispute Resolution and Conflict Management and from 1993 to 1997 he served on the ABA Special Committee on Funding the Justice System. He served as chair of the ABA Standing Committee on Judicial Independence from 2008 to 2011 and is co-chair of the National Center for State Courts National Ad Hoc Advisory Committee on Judicial Campaign Oversight. Published: Tue, Sep 20, 2016