December 16, 2024
FormanWatkins Honored with 2024 Curtis E. Coker Access to Justice Award
Forman Watkins & Krutz has been named the recipient of the 2024 Curtis E. Coker Access to Justice Award by the Mississippi Volunteer Lawyers Project (MVLP). The award recognizes the Firm’s sustained efforts to provide pro bono legal services to underserved communities across the state.
“Receiving the Coker Award is a tremendous honor,” said Alison McMinn, a partner at Forman Watkins & Krutz. “This award acknowledges the dedication of our attorneys and staff who have spent thousands of hours engaging in issues that matter to them and their communities. We are proud to partner with MVLP, which plays the absolutely essential role of connecting attorneys with people who need them.”
The Firm has a long-standing tradition of contributing pro bono legal work. In 2017, the Firm formally launched the FormanWatkins Pro Bono Initiative. Over the past 8 years, the FormanWatkins team has committed over 9,000 hours to pro bono work, an effort valued at over $2 Million. On behalf of pro bono clients, the FormanWatkins team has conducted trials, drafted appeals, filed petitions, influenced policies, and launched legal clinics. FormanWatkins attorneys have also presented oral argument before the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Mississippi Court of Appeals and represented children at hearings in juvenile court.
The Coker Award, MVLP’s highest honor, has been presented annually for the past 24 years. It is awarded to individuals, law firms, or organizations that have demonstrated a strong commitment to addressing the legal needs of low-income Mississippians. Named after Curtis E. Coker, a former Mississippi Bar President and advocate for equitable access to legal services, the award aims to highlight the importance of the private bar’s role in delivering justice to all.
“FormanWatkins attorneys know the importance of using their talents to assist their fellow community members that may not be able to afford quality legal assistance,” continued McMinn. “The opportunity, encouragement, and resources for this level of service are woven into the Firm’s culture, providing our attorneys with the ability and the means to use their talents for the benefit of those who most need them.”
