For over 20 years, the Chattanooga office of Legal Aid of East Tennessee has annually honored a Scenic City attorney who has gone above and beyond the call of duty to provide equal access to justice through pro bono work. While the firm has given its “Pro Bono Attorney of the Year” award to many deserving individuals, the honor did not allow them to recognize the long distance runners – those attorneys who had, in the words of Pro Bono Project Director Charlie McDaniel, “stuck with us for decades through thick and thin.” From the desire to remedy this limitation, the Pro Bono Hall of Fame was born.
Eight worthy Chattanooga lawyers made up the initial round of inductees in 2011. Last week, LAET added four new members as part of its celebration in October of Pro Bono Month. During a catered open house event, the firm held a short ceremony welcoming Richard Crotteau of Miller & Martin, Joseph Simpson of Husch Blackwell, Glenn Stophel of Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel and Sam Elliott of Gearhiser, Peters, Elliot & Cannon to its Hall of Fame.
McDaniel opened the ceremony by saying LAET wants to not only recognize commendable attorneys but also to inspire young lawyers to devote their time and growing expertise to pro bono work. “In Chattanooga, if you want to be a pillar of the bar, you are expected to do pro bono work,” he said to the sizable gathering that had squeezed into its small library for the ceremony. In the corridor outside the room, pictures of the four gentlemen were already hanging next to last year’s inductees.
McDaniel then welcomed Crotteau to the fold, saying “Dick has a long history of taking difficult cases and sometimes working with difficult clients at Legal Aid of East Tennessee. Over the last year, I was impressed with how invested he is in not just seeing the client win but also become more stable moving forward.”
During a brief acceptance speech, Crotteau said he considers pro bono work an obligation. “Being a poor boy of a Wisconsin farmer, I never in my wildest imaginings thought I’d be a lawyer. So I’m blessed beyond belief and owe something in return, and who better to serve than those who are unable to defend themselves?”
Russell Fowler, associate director of LAET, officially accepted Simpson as a member of the Hall of Fame. “This induction is wildly popular with our staff. I can’t express how much Joe does for pro bono clients and for LAET. He’s a limitless resource to us on complicated questions dealing with estate and probate matters, and he’s taken many difficult cases,” Fowler said.
Simpson kept his remarks short, saying, “It’s good to be a part of what Legal Aid of East Tennessee does and to be with a firm that supports the work I do here.” In addition to providing counsel and taking cases, Simpson serves on the board of directors at LAET and on the pro bono committee of the Chattanooga Bar Association.
David Yoder, executive director of LAET, introduced Stophel, who was on the first board of directors for Legal Services Corporation appointed by President Gerald Ford in the 1970s. “He has a lifetime of public service at all levels, and is invaluable to our community,” Yoder said.
“Being a part of this organization has been delightful. I appreciate this high honor,” Stophel said.
Yoder also inducted Elliott, who was unable to attend due to a prior commitment. “Our final inductee isn’t here, and this might be the first time in decades he isn’t here. He does an incredible amount of pro bono work and is an enthusiastic supporter of LAET. We’re proud to induct him into our Hall of Fame.”
Guests then enjoyed food and wine while viewing entries in LAET’s recent art contest, for which students from across Hamilton County submitted works centered on the theme “Justice for All” - something each of LAET’s Hall of Famers ceaselessly strive to achieve.