On February 8, 2024, outstanding individuals and teams were honored for their exemplary legal work by Minnesota Lawyer. The 2023 Attorney of the Year Awards were presented at the Quincy Hall in northeast Minneapolis, where the winners were celebrated for their contributions.

Sharon Jones, executive director of Legal Assistance of Dakota County (LADC), was among those individuals recognized as an Attorney of the Year. Since 2014, Jones has led LADC’s work in the provision of civil legal services to Minnesotans with low incomes, and with a focus on family law. Jones puts it succinctly, “the decisions that get made in family law cases ripple throughout our community.”

LADC recently expanded their scope of services and were able to hire and retain qualified staff due to increased funding from the state legislature last year. Additionally, LADC became part of the statewide coordinated intake process among legal services providers, a client-centered and streamlined referral system.

Reflecting on the positive impact of her organization’s work, Jones said, “I get to work for individual clients while also working toward systemic change statewide with other legal aid providers, private attorneys and courts around the state. It can be hard work, but it’s rewarding. Sometimes we get to see amazing outcomes and sometimes we are not fully aware of the long-term impact of our work, but the human connection is what keeps me doing this.” Read the article in Minnesota Lawyer.