Events - Awards and Scholarships

The NFPA annual awards and scholarships recognize excellence in individual paralegals and paralegal associations; demonstrate to the community the strengths and commitment of professional paralegals; and confirm NFPA's position as The Leader of the Paralegal Profession®.

Review the details, nomination, and application process for the 2023 awards & scholarship program.

The application deadline is July 1, 2023. Click an award below to be brought to the application form:

2022 NFPA Award & Scholarship Recipients

  • Individual Pro Bono Award - Robyn Sweet, CRP, RP, ACP
  • Outstanding Local Leader Award - Anthony Rausch, CRP
  • Student Scholarships - Pat Ritchie and Allison OToole

2021 NFPA Award & Scholarship Recipients

  • Justice Champion Award - Aaron Bath, RP, CEDS
  • Outstanding Local Leader Award - Kathryn Ingram, RP
  • Paralegal of the Year Award - Thomas Holmes
  • William R. Robie Leadership Award - Lorri Jenkins
  • PACE Scholarship - Melissa Jurik, ILAP
  • Student Scholarships - Danielle Rhodes and Monica Phillips


2020 NFPA Award & Scholarship Recipients

  • William R. Robie Leadership Award - Christine Hansen, ILAP, Illinois Paralegal Association (sponsored by Larkin Hoffman Attorneys)
  • Justice Champion Award - Maren Schroeder, MBA, RP®, MnCP, Minnesota Paralegal Association (sponsored by Gustafon Gluek, PLLC)
  • Paralegal of the Year Award - MaryAnn Ivie, RP®, Oregon Paralegal Association (sponsored by Paradigm Reporting & Captioning)
  • Outstanding Local Leader Award - Amy Conrad, Minnesota Paralegal Association (sponsored by Quinlivan & Hughes, P.A.)
  • Individual Pro Bono Award - Kimberly Kasper, MnCP, Minnesota Paralegal Association (sponsored by Maslon)
  • The Paralegal CORE Competency Exam™ (PCCE) Scholarship - Julianne DiBenedetto, Illinois Paralegal Association (sponsored by the Paralegal Education Group)
  • Student Scholarship - Mary Andriani, member of the New York City Paralegal Association (sponsored by Paradigm Reporting & Captioning)

Read more about the award recipients here.

2019 Award & Scholarship Winners

  • William R. Robie Award - Dardanel "Dardie" Robinson, Oregon Paralegal Association
  • Paralegal of the Year Award - Sheila White, Dallas Area Paralegal Association
  • Outstanding Local Leader Award - Brenna Dickey, RP, Oregon Paralegal Association
  • Association Pro Bono Award - Paralegal Association of Central Ohio
  • Individual Pro Bono Award - Teresa Scharf, Paralegal Association of Central Ohio
  • Justice Champion Award - Bonnie Brooks, Paralegal Association of Rochester
  • Certification Ambassador Award - Glenna Fugazzi, RP, Greater Lexington Paralegal Association
  • Thomson Reuters Scholarship - Marilyn Wagner, Oregon Paralegal Association
  • Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. Paralegal Scholarship - Brenda Buenrostro Peterson

2018 Award & Scholarship Winners

  • Thomson Reuters Scholarships - Alexandra Settles and Savannah Lopez
  • PACE Scholarship - Becky Kerstetter, Cleveland Association of Paralegals
  • Certification Ambassador Award - Tina Johnson, RP, MnCP, Minnesota Paralegal Association
  • Association Pro Bono Award - Minnesota Paralegal Association
  • Outstanding Local Leader Award - Wendy Otto, RP, Washington State Paralegal Association
  • Paralegal of the Year Award - Theda M. Yandell, RP, Washington State Paralegal Association
  • Justice Champion Award - Sonjanita Jordan, New Orleans Paralegal Association
  • William R. Robie Award - Brenda Cothary, Washington State Paralegal Association

2017 Award & Scholarship Winners

  • Thomson Reuters Scholarships - Elizabeth Valez Urie and Kajal Patel
  • PACE Scholarship - Jessica Kubiak - Cleveland Association of Paralegals
  • Certification Ambassador Award – Angela Woodlee, RP - Indiana Paralegal Association
  • Association Pro Bono Award - Paralegal Association of Central Ohio
  • Individual Pro Bono Award – Dardanel E. Robinson - Oregon Paralegal Association
  • Outstanding Local Leader Award – Leah M. Aldred, RP®, OCP - Oregon Paralegal Association           
  • Paralegal of the Year Award –KaTina Whitfield, ALP, CRP - Dallas Area Paralegal Association
  • William R. Robie Award – John Goudie, AACP - Paralegal Association of Wisconsin

2016 Award & Scholarship Winners

  • Thomson Reuters Scholarships – Tracy Taplin and Jamese Hawkins
  • PACE Scholarship – Brittany L. Hayes – Paralegal Association of Central Ohio
  • PCCE Scholarship – Kimberly P. Morton – National Capital Area Paralegal Association
  • Certification Ambassador Award – Kristy Geron, RP – Dallas Area Paralegal Association
  • Association Pro Bono Award - Dallas Area Paralegal Association
  • Individual Pro Bono Award – Angela Wilson - Dallas Area Paralegal Association
  • Outstanding Local Leader Award – Sabrina D. Henry – Georgia Association of Paralegals
  • Paralegal of the Year Award – Janet Wilson Williams, RP – Georgia Association of Paralegals
  • William R. Robie Award – Christine M. Flynn, Philadelphia Association of Paralegals

2015 Award & Scholarship Winners

  • The Thomson Reuters scholarship winners were Aurora Hood and Nancy Brooks
  • The PACE scholarship winner was Fatima Mahmud
  • The PCCE scholarship winner was Stephanie Jackson
  • Certification Ambassador Award - Linda Odermott, RP - Oregon Paralegal Association
  • Association Pro Bono Award - Dallas Area Paralegal Association
  • Individual Pro Bono Award - Linda Teater - Rocky Mountain Paralegal Association
  • Outstanding Local Leader Award - Beth King, RP - Oregon Paralegal Association
  • Paralegal of the Year Award - Joyce Kent, RP - Oregon Paralegal Association
  • William R. Robie Award - Kathleen Miller, RP- Oregon Paralegal Association

2014 Award & Scholarship Winners

  • NFPA Certification Ambassador Award, Janet Williams, RP, Georgia Association of Paralegals
  • NFPA PACE Scholarship, Becky Reedy, NJCP, South Jersey Paralegal Association
  • NFPA PCCE Scholarship, Noreen Messmer, Pa.C.P., Montgomery County Paralegal Association
  • Individual Pro Bono Award, Risa Burgess, Dallas Area Paralegal Association
  • NFPA Association Pro Bono Award, Dallas Area Paralegal Association
  • Thomson Reuters/NFPA $3,000 scholarship, Farah Perez, Miami Dade College (Miami, FL)
  • Thomson Reuters/NFPA $2,000 scholarship, Robert A. Harty, Jr., Tampa Bay Paralegal Association
  • NFPA Paralegal of the Year, James Hills, Department of the Navy
  • NFPA Outstanding Local Leader, Cynthia Minchillo, RP, Dallas Area Paralegal Association
  • NFPA William R. Robie Award, Judy Stouffer, RP, Philadelphia Association of Paralegals

2013 Award & Scholarship Winners

  • William R. Robie Award: Debra Hindin-King, Rocky Mountain Paralegal Association
  • Outstanding Local Leader: Vivian Luckiewicz, RP, Pa.C.P, NJCP, Philadelphia Association of Paralegals
  • Paralegal of the Year: Asa Rubman, CRP, Department of the Navy, Washington State Paralegal Association
  • Certification Ambassador of the Year: Michael Wallace, RP, New Haven County Association of Paralegals
  • Association Pro Bono: Tampa Bay Paralegal Association
  • Individual Pro Bono:  Ginny Lee, Rocky Mountain Paralegal Association
  • Thomson Reuters Scholarships: Luanne Anderson and Nataly Nguyen

2012 Award & Scholarship Winners

  • Robie Award - Edna Wallace, RP (Indiana Paralegal Association)
  • Outstanding Local Leader - Mianne L. Besser (Rocky Mountain Paralegal Association)
  • Paralegal of the Year - Kim Major (Rocky Mountain Paralegal Association)
  • Certification Ambassador of the Year - Vivian Luckiewicz, RP, PaCP (Philadelphia Association of Paralegals)
  • Individual Pro Bono - Kristen Mattes (Vermont Paralegal Organization)
  • Thomson Reuters Scholarships: Melissa Jurik and Caitlin Griffin

2011 Award & Scholarship Winners

  • Michael Wallace, RP, winner of the 2011 PACE Ambassador Award
  • RoxAnn Mack, winner of the 2011 Individual Pro Bono Award sponsored by Kroll Ontrack
  • Cleveland Association of Paralegals, winner of the 2011 Association Pro Bono Award sponsored by Kroll Ontrack
  • Mary K. Hanson, winner of the 2011 Thomson Reuters/NFPA Scholarship ($3,000)
  • Austin Brian Prendergast, winner of the 2011 Thomson Reuters/NFPA Scholarship ($2,000)
  • Mariela Evora Cawthon, winner of the 2011 Paralegal of the Year Award
  • Colette A. Lemke, winner of the 2011 Outstanding Local Leader Award
  • Michele Boerder, winner of the 2011 William R. Robie Award

2010 Award & Scholarship Winners

  • NFPA / Thomson Reuters Scholarships  - sponsored by Thomson Reuters:
    • $3,000 winner Melissa Solomon
    • $2,000 winner Jessica Giraldo
  • Association Pro Bono Publico Award:
  • Individual Pro Bono Award Publico Award: Teresa Scharf of the Paralegal Association of Central Ohio
  • Outstanding Local Leadership Award: Wayne D. Akin of the Oregon Paralegal Association
  • NFPA Paralegal of the Year: Michele M. Davis, CP of the Oregon Paralegal Association
  • PACE Ambassador Award: Natalie Nelson Sander, RP® of the Oregon Paralegal Association
  • PACE Scholarship: Sharie T. Walerstein of the Capital District Paralegal Association
  • The Hon. William R. Robie Award: Diane Thompson, CP, RP® of the Oregon Paralegal Association

2009 Award & Scholarship Winners

  • NFPA / Thomson Reuters Scholarships - sponsored by Thomson Reuters
    • Susan Heather Witte
    • Jamie Kurtis - Essay
  • Association Pro Bono Publico Award: Philadelphia Association of Paralegals
  • Individual Pro Bono Award Publico Award: Beth Wilkins
  • Local Outstanding Leadership Award: Patricia Gagnon, RP®
  • NFPA Paralegal of the Year - sponsored by CT Corp.: Debra Hindin-King
  • PACE Ambassador Award - sponsored by Altep: Michael P. Wallace, RP®, CCPA
  • PACE Scholarship - sponsored by Pearson: Kelley D. Kolibaba
  • The Hon. William R. Robie Award - sponsored by CT Corp.: S. Kristine Farmer, RP®

2008 Award & Scholarship Winners

  • NFPA / Thomson West Scholarships - sponsored by Thomson West
    • Kathleen Noland
    • Laverne Scott
  • Individual Pro Bono Award Publico Award: Joanne Randa
  • Local Outstanding Leadership Award: Renee Mazzeo
  • NFPA Paralegal of the Year - sponsored by CT Corp.: Cynthia Quinn
  • PACE Ambassador Award - sponsored by Altep: K. Paezle-Harris
  • PACE Scholarship - sponsored by Pearson Publishing: Georgette Neal
  • The Hon. William R. Robie Award - sponsored by CT Corp.: Beth King, RP
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