Sharon A. Fullmer Legal Aid Attorney of the Year Award
Established in February 1997, this award recognizes that legal services lawyer in Arizona whose service to low-income people encompasses both aggressive advocacy on behalf of individuals in extreme need as well as impact advocacy designed to address systemic issues affecting significant numbers of low-income people.
2023 Recipient
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Habib Azizz Pierce-Byrd is a dual degree alumnus from the University of Arizona’s School of Government and Public Policy and the James E. Rogers College of Law. He also obtained his undergraduate degree in criminal justice from the University of Arizona as well. During his time in the dual degree program, Habib clerked for the Pima County Public Defender’s Office which he conducted research and assisted with trial preparation. Upon graduating from the University of Arizona, Habib clerked for the Honorable Stephen Villarreal and the Honorable Barbara Sattler while preparing to sit for the Arizona Bar Exam. Upon passing the Bar Exam, Habib worked at the Arizona Attorney General’s Office in the Protective Services Section representing Child Protective Services in child dependency, guardianship and termination of parental rights matters. Habib has been with Southern Arizona Legal Aid since November 16, 2007 employed in the Sacaton Office of the Gila River Indian Reservation. Habib represents members and residents of the Gila River Indian Community in a variety of legal areas including but not limited to family law, minor and adult guardianships, juvenile dependency and delinquency matters, adult criminal matters and adult guardianships. Habib has also taken on the role of Senior Attorney for Social Media Accounts as well. |
Previous Recipients
The award has been presented to:
| 1997 | Sharon A. Fullmer (posthumously) |
| 1998 | Lois T. Kermott (posthumously) |
| 1999 | William E. Morris |
| 2000 | Dolores H. Milkie |
| 2001 | Thomas J. Berning Edwad E. Coghlan |
| 2002 | Sylvia J. Struss |
| 2003 | Veronika Fabian Denise I. Young |
| 2004 | Lydia A. Glasson |
| 2005 | George H. McKay |
| 2006 | Patricia J. Gerrich |
| 2007 | Anthony L. Young |
| 2008 | Valerie C. Hink |
| 2009 | Rachel Wilson |
| 2010 | Prof. Andrew Silverman |
| 2011 | Pamela M. Bridge |
| 2012 | Mary V. Day |
| 2013 | Beverly B. Parker |
| 2014 | Ellen Sue Katz |
| 2015 | Laura Belous |
| 2016 | Stanley Silas |
| 2017 | Golden E. McCarthy |
| 2018 | Anne M. Ryan |
| 2019 | Deonissa Cañez-Anderson |
| 2020 | January F. E. Contreras Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project |
| 2021 | Jamie Balson |
| 2022 | Nina Targovnik |
| 2023 | Habib A. Pierce-Byrd |
State Bar Annual Awards
- Award of Appreciation
- Award of Special Merit
- Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Award
- Hon. John R. Sticht Disability Achievement Award
- James A. Walsh Outstanding Jurist Award
- Mark I. Harrison Excellence in Mentorship Award
- Member of the Year Award
- Michael C. Cudahy Criminal Justice Award
- Outstanding In-House Counsel of the Year Award
- President's Award
- Sharon A. Fullmer Legal Aid Attorney of the Year Award
- Tom Karas Criminal Justice Award