The Committee on Nonprofit Organizations of the American Bar Association’s Business Law Section is calling for nominations for the “2026 Outstanding Nonprofit Lawyer Awards.”  The Committee presents the Awards annually to outstanding lawyers in the categories of Academic, Attorney, Nonprofit In-House Counsel, and Young Attorney (under 35 years old or in practice for less than 10 years).  The Committee will also bestow its Vanguard Award for lifetime commitment or achievement on a leading legal practitioner in the nonprofit field.  

For a nomination form, please go to the Nonprofit Organizations Committee Awards webpage.  The Awards will be discussed at the Business Law Section’s Spring Meeting on April 16-18, 2026. The Committee expects to formally announce the awardees in late May. 

Nominations are due by March 20, 2026. 

Please send nomination forms to:

Emily N. Chan
Adler & Colvin
135 Main Street, 20th Floor
San Francisco, California 94105
(415) 421-7555
(415) 421-0712 (fax)
echan@adlercolvin.com

Some of our favorite people and lawyers and academics committed to the nonprofit sector are past recipients of these awards (including Erin and Emily). We hope those working as attorneys for nonprofits or teaching nonprofit law consider nominating a deserving person.