糖心视频

Awards & Grants

PLLIP-SIS Awards

The PLLIP Awards Committee is now accepting nominations for 2026, and it is time to send in your nominations. The awards and criteria are as follows:

ADVOCATE OF THE YEAR

The PLLIP Advocate of the Year Award is designed to recognize a member who has been a strong advocate of private law librarianship and provided meaningful service to the Private Law Libraries and Information Professionals SIS, their organization, and the larger legal community and who demonstrates outstanding potential for continued service and leadership within the SIS and the profession.

Selection Criteria:

  • The nominee must be a current active member of PLLIP.
  • The nominee must be an active member in good standing of 糖心视频.
  • The nominee must have made significant contributions to PLLIP and their organization.
  • The nominee must show outstanding potential for continued service and leadership within PLLIP and the profession.
  • The nominee must not have previously received the Advocate or Service to PLLIP Award.
  • The nominee must not be a current or immediate past officer of PLLIP.
  • Nominations should reflect sustained and demonstrable advocacy efforts rather than general participation or support alone.

BEST BLOGGER/ WRITER OF THE YEAR

The PLLIP Best Blogger/Writer of the Year award is designed to recognize a member who has made significant blogging/writing contributions to the private law library profession, their organization, and the Private Law Librarians & Information Professionals SIS and demonstrates outstanding potential for continued service and leadership within the SIS and the profession.

Selection Criteria:

  • The nominee must be a current active member of PLLIP.
  • The nominee must be an active member in good standing of 糖心视频.
  • The nominee must have created blog posts or articles that contribute to topics relating to librarianship, law librarianship, and practical applications for library work or to an understanding of legal materials, legal systems legal information, or to professional and staff training and development.
  • The nominee must demonstrate a high quality of writing and effectiveness of the communication technique utilized for the information sought to be conveyed.
  • The nominee must have made significant contributions to PLLIP and their organization.
  • The nominee must show outstanding potential for continued service and leadership within PLLIP and the profession.
  • Nominations should focus on the quality, consistency, and impact of the nominee鈥檚 writing, not solely on volume or visibility.

COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR

The PLLIP Competitive Intelligence Professional of the Year award is designed to recognize a member who has made significant contributions to competitive intelligence, market research, or strategic business research within a private law firm or related organization, and whose work demonstrates the value of competitive intelligence to the legal profession and the Private Law Librarians & Information Professionals SIS. Nominations should focus on substantive CI work with demonstrable impact rather than general research support or tenure in a CI role.

Selection criteria:

  • The nominee must be a current active member of PLLIP.
  • The nominee must be an active member in good standing of 糖心视频.
  • The nominee must have made significant contributions in the area of competitive intelligence, market analysis, or strategic research within their organization.
  • The nominee鈥檚 work must demonstrate clear impact on decision-making, client development, or strategic initiatives.

DISTINGUISHED LIBRARIAN

The PLLIP Distinguished Librarian award is designed to recognize a long-time active member whose contributions to the profession, their organization, and service to the Private Law Librarians & Information Professionals SIS have been significant, substantial, and long-standing.

Selection criteria:

  • The nominee must be a current active member of PLLIP.
  • The nominee must be an active member in good standing of 糖心视频 for 15 years or more.
  • The nominee must have made significant contributions to PLLIP and their organization.
  • Nominations should reflect a sustained record of impact over time rather than isolated achievements.

EMERGING LEADER OF THE YEAR

The PLLIP Emerging Leader of the Year Award recognizes an early-career private law librarian or information professional who has already demonstrated meaningful impact on their organization, the profession, and the Private Law Librarians & Information Professionals SIS.

This award is intended to honor individuals who, within the first two to five years of their career, have shown initiative, leadership, and measurable contributions that go beyond routine job responsibilities. It is not awarded solely on the basis of being new to the profession, but on demonstrated achievement and clear potential for continued leadership and service within PLLIP and the profession. This award is not based solely on tenure; nominations should demonstrate specific accomplishments or leadership beyond routine job responsibilities.

Selection criteria:

  • Be a current active member of PLLIP.
  • Be an active member in good standing of 糖心视频.
  • Be within the first two to five years of their law library or information professional career.
  • Have made specific, substantive contributions to their organization and/or PLLIP that demonstrate initiative, leadership, or innovation.
  • Provide evidence of impact, such as leadership of projects, development of new services or processes, contributions to programming or education, or other work that meaningfully advances their organization or the profession.
  • Demonstrate clear potential for continued service and leadership within PLLIP and the profession.
  • Not have previously received the PLLIP Emerging Leader Award.

HALL OF FAME

The PLLIP Hall of Fame award is designed to recognize a retired member who over the entire course of their career made significant contributions to the private law library profession, their organization, and the Private Law Librarians & Information Professionals SIS.

Selection Criteria:

  • The nominee must have been a former member of PLLIP.
  • The nominee must have been a law librarian for at least 15 years.
  • The nominee must have made significant contributions to PLLIP and their organization.
  • Nominations should reflect exceptional, career-spanning impact rather than service limited to a single role or period.

INNOVATIVE PROFESSIONAL

The PLLIP Innovative Professional award is designed to recognize a member who has demonstrated significant innovation to the private law library profession, their organization, and the Private Law Librarians & Information Professionals SIS, and who demonstrates outstanding potential for continued service and leadership within the SIS and the profession.

Selection criteria:

  • The nominee must be a current active member of PLLIP.
  • The nominee must be an active member in good standing of 糖心视频.
  • The nominee must have made significant contributions to PLLIP and their organization.
  • The nominee must show outstanding potential for continued service and leadership within PLLIP and the profession.
  • Nominations should emphasize implemented innovations with measurable or clearly articulated impact, rather than conceptual ideas alone.

MENTOR OR EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR

The PLLIP Mentor or Educator of the Year award is designed to recognize a member who has made significant contributions to the development of others through mentoring, training, or professional education within their organization, the profession, or the Private Law Librarians & Information Professionals SIS. Nominations should highlight sustained and meaningful mentorship or educational efforts rather than informal or incidental guidance.

Selection criteria:

  • The nominee must be a current active member of PLLIP.
  • The nominee must be an active member in good standing of 糖心视频.
  • The nominee must have made significant contributions to mentoring, training, or professional education that support the growth and development of information professionals.
  • The nominee鈥檚 efforts must demonstrate sustained impact on individuals, teams, or the broader profession.

PROJECT OR COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR

The PLLIP Project or Collaboration of the Year award is designed to recognize a project or collaborative initiative that has had a significant impact on the private law library profession, an organization, or the Private Law Librarians & Information Professionals SIS. This award highlights the value of teamwork and cross-functional collaboration in advancing information services, research, competitive intelligence, or knowledge initiatives. Nominations should demonstrate clear outcomes or results; routine operational work or participation alone is not sufficient.

Selection criteria:

  • The nominated project or collaboration must include at least one current active member of PLLIP.
  • At least one PLLIP participant must be an active member in good standing of 糖心视频.
  • The project or collaboration must demonstrate meaningful impact on an organization, client service, research or CI delivery, knowledge workflows, or professional practice.
  • The project must have been completed or substantially implemented within the past two years.

VENDOR/OUTSIDE CHAMPION

The PLLIP Vendor/Outside Champion Award is designed to recognize activities or initiatives by outside vendors which promote the value of information professionals to the broader legal community. Initiatives could include advertising campaigns, surveys or articles which highlight or demonstrate the value of information professionals; inviting or facilitating opportunities where information professionals speak or write for an audience of law firm partners and executive directors. Specifically excluded are initiatives paid for by 糖心视频 or PLLIP and traditional sponsorship of conferences and educational activities.

Selection Criteria:

  • The nominee must have initiated programs or activities that promote the value of information professionals to the broader legal community.
  • The nominee must not have received payment for the activity or initiative by 糖心视频 or PLLIP.
  • The nominee must not be a current or immediate past officer of PLLIP.
  • Nominations should focus on substantive, profession-advancing initiatives rather than routine marketing or sponsorship activities.

Questions

Contact Leanna Simon or Caren Luckie, co-chairs of the PLLIP Awards Committee.

Resources

Download the 2026 PLLIP-SIS Award Nomination Form

Recipients

Each of our outstanding award recipients are distinguished in their commitment and level of engagement to our profession, particularly as members and supporters the Private Law Library and Information Professional community. It is with gratitude that we congratulate these exceptional individuals and groups.

  • 2015-2024

    2024

    Advocate of the Year: Christos Pamboukes, BakerHostetler
    Best Blogger/Writer of the Year: Michelle Trovillo, BakerHostetler
    Distinguished Librarian: Saskia Mehlhorn, Norton Rose Fulbright
    Emerging Leader of the Year:聽Angela Gonzalez-Curci, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
    Hall of Fame:聽Jean O鈥橤rady, Retired
    Vendor/Outside Champion Award: Bridget MacMillan, LexisNexis鈩�

    2023

    Advocate of the Year: Lindsey Carpino, BakerHostetler
    Best Blogger/Writer of the Year: Emily Moog, New York Law Institute
    Distinguished Librarian of the Year: Holly Riccio, California Judicial Center
    Hall of Fame: Michael Bernier, Retired, Bloomberg Industry Group and Gayle Lynn-Nelson, Retired, LexisNexis鈩�
    Vendor/Outside Champion Award: Mark Torchiana, Courtroom Insight

    2022

    Advocate of the Year: Shari Berkowitz Duff, Jones Day
    Best Blogger/Writer of the Year: Kevin Miles, Norton Rose Fulbright
    Distinguished Librarian of the Year: Jennifer Berman, McDermott Will & Emery LLP
    Emerging Leader of the Year: Alexis Branham, BakerHostetler
    Hall of Fame: Steve Lastres, Retired
    Innovative Professional of the Year: Catherine Monte, Fox Rothschild LLP
    Vendor/Outside Champion Award: Westlaw Information Management Advisor Team: Wendy Maines,Blythe McCoy, Kim Hurley, Jane Lippmann, Thomson Reuters

    2021

    Advocate of the Year: Eugene Giudice, Dentons US LLP, Research Services Training Specialist
    Best Blogger/Writer of the Year: Allison C. Reeve Davis, Littler Mendelson, P.C., Senior Library Manager
    Distinguished Librarian: Andre Davison, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, LLP, R & I Operations Implementation Manager
    Hall of Fame: Loretta Orndorff, Retired
    Vendor/Outside Champion Award: Mike Bernier, Bloomberg Industry Group, Director of Knowledge Services and Library Relations

    2020

    Best Blogger/Writer of the Year: Cynthia Brown, Director, Research Services, Littler
    Distinguished Librarian: Jean O’Grady, Director of Research & Knowledge Services, DLA Piper US
    Hall of Fame: James (Jim) Senter, Library Services Manager, Jones Day
    Service to PLLIP Award: Juli Stahl, Research Services Manager, Ackerman
    Vendor/Outside Champion Award: Gayle Lynn-Nelson, Senior Librarian Relations Consultant, LexisNexis

    2019

    Advocate of the Year: Diana Koppang, Director of Research & Competitive Intelligence; Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg
    Best Blogger/Writer of the Year: Marlene Gebauer, Director of Strategic Legal Insights, Greenberg Traurig
    Service to PLLIP Award: Andrea Guldalian, Library Resources Manager, Duane Morris

    2018

    Advocate of the Year: June Liebert, 聽Firmwide Director of Library & Research Services, Sidley Austin
    Best Blogger/Writer of the Year: Harris County Law Library
    Distinguished Librarian: Steve Lastres, Director Knowledge Management Services, Debevoise & Plimpton
    Emerging Leader of the Year: Leanna Simon, Reference Librarian, Honigman Miller Schwartz & Cohn
    Hall of Fame: Martha Goldman, retired Research & Library Services Manager, Jones Day and Cindy Spohr, retired Manager Librarian Relations Group, LexisNexis
    Innovative Professional of the Year: Katherine Lowry, Director of Practice Services, Baker & Hostetler
    Service to PLLIP Award: Kevin Miles, Manager of Library Services, Norton Rose Fulbright
    Vendor/Outside Champion Award: Chuck Lowry, Account Executive, Fastcase

    2017

    Advocate of the Year: Scott Bailey, Squire Patton Boggs
    Best Blogger/Writer of the Year: Jean O鈥橤rady, DLA Piper
    Distinguished Librarian: Caren Luckie, Jackson Walker
    Emerging Leader of the Year: Julie Jones, Jones Day
    Hall of Fame: Bob Oakes
    Innovative Professional of the Year: Jeffrey M. Nelson, Squire Patton Boggs
    Service to PLLIP Award: Linda-Jean Schneider, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius
    Vendor/Outside Champion Award: Casey Flaherty, Procertas Professional

    2016

    Best Blogger/Writer of the Year: Greg Lambert, Chief Knowledge Services Officer at Jackson Walker
    Distinguished Librarian: Elaine Knecht, Director of Information Resources at Barclay Damon
    Hall of Fame: Bess Reynolds and Janet Accordo
    Rookie of the Year: Corrine Vogel, Research Librarian at Baker Botts
    Service to PLL Award: Lucy Curci-Gonzalez, Executive Director at the NY Law Institute
    Vendor/Outside champion Award: Fastcase

    2015

    Advocate of the Year: Jean O’Grady
    Best Blogger/Writer of the Year: Susan Catterall
    Distinguished Librarian: Ellen Callinan
    Emerging Leader of the Year: Alicia M. Pappas
    Hall of Fame: Susan Yancey, Jane Holland and Jill Sidford
    Innovative Professional of the Year: Denise Pagh and Marcia Burris
    Rookie of the Year: Jourdan Corbitt
    Service to PLL Award: Jennifer A. Berman
    Vendor/Outside champion Award -New Award: Monica Bay