University of Alberta Faculty of Law Professor Emeritus Ron Hopp, Q.C., is the recipient of the 2016 Eileen Nash Memorial Award - in memory of the Honourable Madam Justice Eileen Nash - from the Edmonton Bar Association (EBA). The award recognizes the efforts of an individual or individuals who have made a substantial dedication of their time and talents on a pro-bono basis to under-privileged persons or to causes supporting under-privileged persons in the Edmonton area.
"Eileen Nash was a wonderful woman and a respected judge," said Professor Hopp. "I am honoured to have been chosen to receive this year's award in her memory."
Professor Hopp - who joined the Faculty in 1975 - was nominated for the award by Sarah Sager, Executive Coordinator at Student Legal Services of Edmonton (SLS) and by Dean Paul Paton, on behalf of the Faculty, with the unanimous support of the Faculty Awards and Distinguished Service Committee. The award will be presented to Professor Hopp on October 4, 2016 during the EBA's annual Judges' Dinner. Previous recipients of the award include Faculty of Law alumni The Honourable John T. Henderson and U of A Chancellor Douglas R. Stollery, Q.C.
"Professor Hopp's years of service and his commitment to SLS and pro bono principles have had a measurable impact on access to justice for the low income community in Edmonton," said Ms. Sager.
"In addition to his work at the University of Alberta Faculty of Law as Assistant and Associate Professor - and more recently as Professor Emeritus - Ron Hopp, Q.C. has been providing pro bono legal services in Edmonton in a variety of capacities, including through his own part-time practice and as Advising Lawyer for SLS, for nearly four decades," said Dean Paul Paton. "His service to SLS is extraordinary, not only for its duration, but more importantly for the impact it has had on the lives of SLS clients and on the generations of University of Alberta law students who have been forever shaped by their SLS experiences."
Each recipient of the Eileen Nash Memorial Award is entitled to provide advice and recommendations to the Edmonton Community Foundation Board regarding the disbursement of income from the Eileen Nash Memorial Fund to a charity or charitable cause in the Edmonton area.