Marshall Tuttle Award to an Outstanding Attorney

Marshall Tuttle Award to an Outstanding Attorney

The Military Legal Assistance Program (MLAP) Committee of the State Bar of Georgia invites nominations from any person to be considered for the Bar’s Marshall-Tuttle Award. The Award is named in honor and memory of both Army Corporal Evan Andrew Marshall, a soldier from Athens, Georgia, who was killed in action in Iraq in 2008, and U.S. Circuit Judge Elbert Parr Tuttle, who served in the Army for 30 years, was a founding partner of the Atlanta law firm Sutherland Asbill, and served as a federal appellate judge for 43 years. While a practicing attorney, Tuttle also provided pro bono legal services to many people, including John Johnson, a young Marine. In 1938, the U.S. Supreme Court held in the historic case, Johnson v. Zerbst , that counsel must be provided for all defendants in federal criminal trials who cannot afford to hire their own attorneys.

“The State Bar of Georgia has determined that these two men, Evan Marshall and Elbert Tuttle, each in their own ways, contributed mightily to the State of Georgia and the Nation and to the ideal of service and sacrifice for the public good,” stated Charles L. Ruffin, former MLAP committee chair and former State Bar president. The criteria in determining the recipient of this Award are in two parts and include the following:

The mandatory criteria in considering award nominations are that the nominee must:

– be a lawyer, active and in good standing, admitted to practice law in Georgia for at least five years;

– be of outstanding character and known for commitment to the highest ethical standards, personal principles, and sense of professionalism;

– enhance the human dignity of others by improving or delivering civil law legal services to military service members or veterans; and

– provide pro bono or reduced-fee service in support of military service members or veterans in a commendable manner that deserves special recognition.

The desirable criteria considered on a case-by-case basis are as follows:

– set a positive example for Georgia lawyers by delivery of a distinctive quality of MLAP legal service; and

– make distinctive contributions of time, effort, and creativity in training Georgia lawyers to perform MLAP services.

Any person may submit nominations in letter or electronic form not later than Tuesday, April 30, to:

M. Christopher Pitts

Military Legal Assistance Program Committee