Outstanding Advocates Honored at 2024 Legal Services Statewide Conference
For the first time, Legal Services State Support held its biennial statewide conference at Madden’s Resort on Gull Lake in Brainerd Minnesota. Bridging Worlds: Community, Culture, and the Work of Legal Aid, broke previous registration records, and reached resort capacity before registration officially closed in September. From November 6th - 8th, nearly 300 legal aid attorneys, advocates, administrative staff, and community partners took part in an array of conference sessions totaling 28.75 hours of continuing legal education credit.
On November 7th, the statewide awards dinner provided an evening of recognition and goodwill as conference attendees and guests gathered to honor their peers and notable community champions of legal aid’s work. Attendees were greeted with words of praise from their colleagues in the form of “shout-outs’ submitted to State Support ahead of the conference and then displayed on two screens during dinner. Emcees Dan Morris, executive director of Central Minnesota Legal Services (CMLS), and Milo Mumgaard, executive director of Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid (MMLA), guided the program, and also shared numerous statewide updates, such as news about the new State Board of Civil Legal Aid, the oneCourtMN Hearings Initiative, and the significant impact of community-wide achievements by legal aiders across Minnesota.
Pro Bono Publico Award
With its Pro Bono Publico Award, the Minnesota Legal Services Coalition recognizes outstanding efforts to ensure the provision of civil legal services and to preserve the dignity of disadvantaged residents of Minnesota.
The first Pro Bono Publico of the evening was awarded to the Honorable Paul W. Day, retired chief judge for the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe and former executive director of Anishinabe Legal Services. Throughout Judge Day’s tenure, the collaboration between Anishinabe Legal Services and the Leech Lake Tribal Court and Band increased substantially and his understanding of the importance of civil legal services in the justice system made a tremendous difference in the lives of many in the Leech Lake community.
Also honored with the Pro Bono Publico award were Fredrikson & Byron’s Kevin Goodno, chair of the board and government relations department, and Andy Pomroy, senior government relations specialist. Goodno and Pomroy were recognized for their outstanding advocacy and lobbying efforts that led to an unprecedented 83% increase in state funding for civil legal aid in the 2023 Minnesota legislative session. Fredrikson’s efforts, led by Goodno and Pomroy, also paved the way for the establishment of a Minnesota Board of Civil Legal Aid, ensuring that the gains made will be sustained, supporting legal aid for years to come.
Pillar of Justice Award
The Coalition’s Pillar of Justice Award is given in recognition of undeterred, unsurpassed and unexcelled support of equal justice. This year’s recipients were Jean Lastine, retired executive director of Central Minnesota Legal Services (CMLS) and Ann Cofell, retired deputy director of Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid (MMLA).
Cofell retired as the longest-serving deputy director of MMLA, after a dedicated 44 years at one legal aid office in St. Cloud. During her career, she helped over 15,000 people, and in 2008, she played a pivotal role in establishing the Stearns County Felony Domestic Violence Court, a groundbreaking initiative designed to prioritize victim safety and hold offenders accountable. This court, the first of its kind in the region, represents the culmination of Cofell’s vision of a collaborative, holistic approach to justice.
Lastine’s career in legal aid began shortly after graduation from William Mitchell College of Law, when she first served as staff attorney at East Central Minnesota Legal Services in Cambridge, and then the Legal Aid Society of Minneapolis in the family law unit. Lastine became executive director of CMLS in 1997, where she shaped the organization into a cornerstone of legal advocacy in the area of family law. Over the years, Lastine was a driving force in the statewide community, serving as the chair of the MSBA Family Law Section, as well as the then-named Legal Assistance to the Disadvantaged Committee. Her commendations include the Minnesota Justice Foundation Advocate Award, the Dawn Carlson Award for Family Law Advocacy, and in 2020, she was honored with the Mitchell Hamline Distinguished Alumni Award in recognition of her lifelong commitment to legal aid and social justice.
Dawn Carlson Family Advocate Award
The Dawn Carlson Family Advocate Award was established by Chris Carlson as a memorial tribute to his wife, Dawn Marie Holmbeck Carlson, a former staff attorney at Legal Services of Northwest Minnesota. The award gives special recognition to the essential work done by family law practitioners and staff, and their often-unsung tenacity, resilience, and commitment.
Geoffrey Miller of Justice North was honored with this year’s award for his exemplary legal work, commitment, and compassion for the program’s clients. After years in private practice, he now dedicates his expertise and advocacy to the legal aid community. In addition to family law cases, Miller is a mentor to paralegals, legal paraprofessionals, and assistants, creating a collaborative environment where teaching and learning are mutual, and the focus remains on serving clients.