It Is AILA's Distinct Pleasure to Present...
Meet the Recipients

Annual Awards

Each year, it is AILA’s distinct pleasure to recognize and celebrate the individuals and organizations who have achieved excellence in immigration law.

Our Annual Awards are bestowed in up to 11 categories: Advancing the Practice of Immigration Law; Advocacy; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Human Rights; Litigation; Media Leadership; Mentorship; Pro Bono; AILA Service Excellence; Teaching; and Young Lawyers.

Additionally, the Founders Award is given from time to time to the person or entity having the most substantial impact on the field of immigration law or policy in the preceding period.

Awards are presented at the AILA Annual Conference each year.

Meet Our 2023 Award Recipients

  • Hannah Cartwright 
    2023 Advocacy Award for outstanding efforts in support of AILA’s advocacy agenda 
     
  • UndocuBlack Network 
    2023 Arthur C. Helton Human Rights Award for outstanding service in advancing the cause of human rights 
     
  • Ban Al-Wardi and Maria C. Chavez 
    2023 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award for outstanding efforts in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion excellence in the immigration legal profession
     
  • Amy Nice 
    2023 Edith Lowenstein Memorial Award for excellence in advancing the practice of immigration law 
     
  • Karla McKanders 
    2023 Elmer Fried Excellence in Teaching Award 
     
  • AILA Amicus Committee 
    2023 Jack Wasserman Memorial Award for excellence in litigation in the field of immigration law 
    Committee Members: Jonathan Weinberg, David Zimmer, Shane Ellison, Lily Axelrod, Nadia Anguiano, David A. Isaacson, Christina Murdoch, Amalia Wille, Becky Sharpless, Jonah Eaton, Mark R. Barr, Elissa Steglich, Dalia Fuleihan, Rekha Sharma-Crawford, and Sabrina Damast. 
     
  • Sarah Pitney 
    2023 Joseph Minsky Young Lawyer Award for outstanding contributions made as a young lawyer in the field of immigration and nationality law 
  • Priscilla Alvarez of CNN 
    2023 Media Leadership Award for outstanding efforts in the media to accurately depict immigration and immigrants 
     
  • Troutman Pepper 
    2023 Michael Maggio Memorial Pro Bono Award for outstanding efforts in providing pro bono representation in the immigration field 
     
  • Brian S. Green 
    2023 Sam Williamson Mentor Award for outstanding efforts and excellent counsel to immigration attorneys by providing mentoring assistance 
     
  • Palma Yanni 
    2023 Susan D. Quarles AILA Service Excellence Award for years of outstanding service in advancing the mission, development, and value of AILA for its members and the public it serves 
     
  • Ira Kurzban 
    Founders Award, which is given from time to time to the person or entity having the most substantial impact on the field of immigration law or policy 
     
  • 2023 President’s Commendations 
    Russell Abrutyn, James W. Austin, Maria Theresa Baldini-Potermin, Dan H. Berger, C. Lynn Calder, Rex Chen, James P. Chesser, David W. Cook, Sandra Feist, Ellen Freeman, Amanda Bethea Keaveny, Vincent W. Lau, Daniel Melo, Jennifer Minear, Spojmie Ahmady Nasiri, Andrew K. Nietor, Adriel D. Orozco, Sarah Owings, Rachel M. Self, Margaret D. Stock, Carlina Tapia-Ruano, and Wendy S. Wayne 

See Past Award Winners