Past Awardees Juan Perez-Medrano Excellence in Public Service Award
In 2017, the Pima County Bar Foundation’s (PCBF) Board of Trustees created an annual, public service award which now honors the legacy of Juan Perez-Medrano. Juan's extensive involvement in public service efforts was exemplary, and the Juan Pérez-Medrano Excellence in Public Service Award is an opportunity to honor a legal colleague who reflects his spirit and dedication. The award will be presented at the Pima County Bar Foundation Gala on September 28, 2024.
The purpose of this award is to recognize an outstanding legal professional who has made extraordinary and exemplary public service contributions to the Pima County legal community. Award nominees must meet the following criteria: must be an active PCBA member; have at least 5 years of professional experience; and must have engaged in public service that demonstrates leadership and initiative, and the nominee must be recognized as a model of competence, dedication, and professionalism.
2017 Dee-Dee Samet
Dee-Dee is legendary in the legal community for her public service. Her service achievements include being past President and Board member of both the State Bar and Pima County Bar Association, serving multiple terms on the State Bar’s Board of Governors, and serving on state, national and Pima County bar committees too numerous to list.
Dee-Dee’s favorite causes include Casa de Los Niños, where she has served as Board President, Board Liaison and current Casa de Los Niños Foundation President. Dee-Dee’s public service has also benefitted such diverse groups as the Invisible Theater, Southern Arizona Children’s Advocacy, Tucson Awareness House (Amity), Arizona Women Lawyers, the Federal Bar Association, Southern Arizona Legal Aid, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the March of Dimes, YWCA Women Helping Women, the American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association. Recently, she served as President of Tucson Homeless Connect, which consists of fifty providers who participate in two events per year where 350 homeless persons receive legal, dental, hygienic, medical, mental health, housing and job assistance.
2018 Hon. (Ret.) Alyce Pennington
Alyce recently retired after serving as a Pima County Superior Commissioner, most recently in the Juvenile Division. She is a past President of PCBA, a long-time member of the Writ Editorial Board and a frequent contributing author. In addition to PCBA, Alyce has served on the Executive Council of the State Bar’s Family Law Section, the Family Law Advisory Commission, the Advisory Board of SALA’s Volunteer Lawyers Program, and the Arizona Women Lawyers Association. Alyce was the coordinator and presenter for “Considering Divorce,” a joint program with PCBA and the Conciliation Court. She also presented the Parent Legal Education course for Casa de Los NinĚos. Alyce’s contributions have not been limited to legal services. She has served as a Board member and President for the Beacon Foundation and as a Board member of United Way, chairing the Governmental Relations Committee.
Beginning in 2016, Alyce helped launch Step Up to Justice (SU2J) as a pro bono center to provide civil legal services to low- income individuals and families. In her work as a Volunteer Lawyer as well as in her position on the bench, Alyce observed gaps in the system for delivering legal services and focused her skills and energy on creating a solution. Michele Mirto, SU2J’s Executive Director, credits Alyce with being pivotal to the organization’s design and its rapid growth as a major provider of legal services to the underprivileged in Southern Arizona. Through SU2J, Alyce has helped to create an organization that serves individuals who could not receive services from other programs due to conflicts of interest or regulatory limitations.
2019 Michael Drake
Michael has served as a PCBA President and Director. With years of service as a Southern Arizona Legal Aid volunteer, he has been recognized as Outstanding Pro Bono Attorney multiple times, In 2018, he received the Arizona Bar Foundation’s Top 50 Pro Bono Award. Michael has served on the State Bar’s Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee and as a hearing officer for the Arizona Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission. He has been a frequent PCBA continuing education presenter on lawyer discipline, lawyer ethics and family law ethics, and has been a mentor and speaker for the U of A’s Academic Preparation for Excellence Award (APEX) Outreach Program. He served on the Boards of COPE/PASAR drug and alcohol treatment program, O'Rielly Care Center inpatient drug and alcohol treatment program (Advisory Board), and The Haven drug and alcohol treatment program for women. He is a past President of Sunset Rotary Club, and past Governor of Rotary District 5500 (52 clubs in Southern Arizona).
Michael has helped clean and maintain the homes of elderly persons and local public schools. He has read to elderly persons in nursing homes and assisted cleanup of the Rillito River walkway. He has supported Rotary International youth programs and Rotary’s Ride to End Polio in El Tour de Tucson. He has purchased and delivered Christmas gifts and food baskets to needy families with children and has helped buy and install computer equipment at the Boys Club in Sells, AZ, and laundry equipment at Madre Conchita Orphanage for Girls in Nogales, Sonora. Through Rotary International, Michael has provided assistance to orphanage and children’s centers in South Africa and the Middle East, and has worked to eradicate polio in 125 countries. He has worked on charitable projects in Thailand, Russia, New Zealand, Japan, Denmark, India, Jordan, and Uganda. Michael was instrumental in obtaining a grant to treat and rehabilitate disabled school children in the Middle East.
2020 Prof. Andy Silverman
As both a teacher and a practitioner, Andy has devoted his career to assisting those who struggle for equal justice. In 1976, he took a 3-year leave of absence from the UA Law faculty to serve as Executive Director of Community Legal Services in Phoenix. He brought the lessons of that experience back to his students and instilled in many of them a lifelong commitment to apply their legal knowledge and skills on behalf of those who struggle to obtain equal access to justice.
Andy is the longest tenured Board member of Southern Arizona Legal Aid (SALA), serving continuously from 1978, and as Ppresident from 1983-1988. His service on other Boards includes the Arizona Capital Representation Project, the William E. Morris Institute for Justice, Sanctity of Life: People Against Executions, Barrios Unidos Land Trust, Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project, Asylum Project of Southern Arizona (Advisory Board), Coalition of Arizonans to Abolish the Death Penalty (Steering Committee), Southern Arizona People’s Law Center, the State Bar Committee on Minorities and Women in the Law, United Way of Tucson, Migrant Legal Action Program and Legal Services Corporation (Washington, DC), and the Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest.
Andy, with attorney and former Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild, started the Civil Rights Restoration Clinic at UA Law in 2006, assisting persons with criminal convictions in restoring their civil rights and getting convictions set aside. In addition to representing clients, the Clinic presents workshops for people representing themselves. In discussing the program, Andy has said, “We believe what we’re doing is lowering the recidivism rate.”
2021 Hon. (Ret.) Karen Nygaard
Dee-Dee is legendary in the legal community for her public service. Her service achievements include being past President and Board member of both the State Bar and Pima County Bar Association, serving multiple terms on the State Bar’s Board of Governors, and serving on state, national and Pima County bar committees too numerous to list.
Dee-Dee’s favorite causes include Casa de Los Niños, where she has served as Board President, Board Liaison and current Casa de Los Niños Foundation President. Dee-Dee’s public service has also benefitted such diverse groups as the Invisible Theater, Southern Arizona Children’s Advocacy, Tucson Awareness House (Amity), Arizona Women Lawyers, the Federal Bar Association, Southern Arizona Legal Aid, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the March of Dimes, YWCA Women Helping Women, the American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association. Recently, she served as President of Tucson Homeless Connect, which consists of fifty providers who participate in two events per year where 350 homeless persons receive legal, dental, hygienic, medical, mental health, housing and job assistance.
2018 Hon. (Ret.) Alyce Pennington
Alyce recently retired after serving as a Pima County Superior Commissioner, most recently in the Juvenile Division. She is a past President of PCBA, a long-time member of the Writ Editorial Board and a frequent contributing author. In addition to PCBA, Alyce has served on the Executive Council of the State Bar’s Family Law Section, the Family Law Advisory Commission, the Advisory Board of SALA’s Volunteer Lawyers Program, and the Arizona Women Lawyers Association. Alyce was the coordinator and presenter for “Considering Divorce,” a joint program with PCBA and the Conciliation Court. She also presented the Parent Legal Education course for Casa de Los NinĚos. Alyce’s contributions have not been limited to legal services. She has served as a Board member and President for the Beacon Foundation and as a Board member of United Way, chairing the Governmental Relations Committee.
Beginning in 2016, Alyce helped launch Step Up to Justice (SU2J) as a pro bono center to provide civil legal services to low- income individuals and families. In her work as a Volunteer Lawyer as well as in her position on the bench, Alyce observed gaps in the system for delivering legal services and focused her skills and energy on creating a solution. Michele Mirto, SU2J’s Executive Director, credits Alyce with being pivotal to the organization’s design and its rapid growth as a major provider of legal services to the underprivileged in Southern Arizona. Through SU2J, Alyce has helped to create an organization that serves individuals who could not receive services from other programs due to conflicts of interest or regulatory limitations.
2019 Michael Drake
Michael has served as a PCBA President and Director. With years of service as a Southern Arizona Legal Aid volunteer, he has been recognized as Outstanding Pro Bono Attorney multiple times, In 2018, he received the Arizona Bar Foundation’s Top 50 Pro Bono Award. Michael has served on the State Bar’s Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee and as a hearing officer for the Arizona Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission. He has been a frequent PCBA continuing education presenter on lawyer discipline, lawyer ethics and family law ethics, and has been a mentor and speaker for the U of A’s Academic Preparation for Excellence Award (APEX) Outreach Program. He served on the Boards of COPE/PASAR drug and alcohol treatment program, O'Rielly Care Center inpatient drug and alcohol treatment program (Advisory Board), and The Haven drug and alcohol treatment program for women. He is a past President of Sunset Rotary Club, and past Governor of Rotary District 5500 (52 clubs in Southern Arizona).
Michael has helped clean and maintain the homes of elderly persons and local public schools. He has read to elderly persons in nursing homes and assisted cleanup of the Rillito River walkway. He has supported Rotary International youth programs and Rotary’s Ride to End Polio in El Tour de Tucson. He has purchased and delivered Christmas gifts and food baskets to needy families with children and has helped buy and install computer equipment at the Boys Club in Sells, AZ, and laundry equipment at Madre Conchita Orphanage for Girls in Nogales, Sonora. Through Rotary International, Michael has provided assistance to orphanage and children’s centers in South Africa and the Middle East, and has worked to eradicate polio in 125 countries. He has worked on charitable projects in Thailand, Russia, New Zealand, Japan, Denmark, India, Jordan, and Uganda. Michael was instrumental in obtaining a grant to treat and rehabilitate disabled school children in the Middle East.
2020 Prof. Andy Silverman
As both a teacher and a practitioner, Andy has devoted his career to assisting those who struggle for equal justice. In 1976, he took a 3-year leave of absence from the UA Law faculty to serve as Executive Director of Community Legal Services in Phoenix. He brought the lessons of that experience back to his students and instilled in many of them a lifelong commitment to apply their legal knowledge and skills on behalf of those who struggle to obtain equal access to justice.
Andy is the longest tenured Board member of Southern Arizona Legal Aid (SALA), serving continuously from 1978, and as Ppresident from 1983-1988. His service on other Boards includes the Arizona Capital Representation Project, the William E. Morris Institute for Justice, Sanctity of Life: People Against Executions, Barrios Unidos Land Trust, Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project, Asylum Project of Southern Arizona (Advisory Board), Coalition of Arizonans to Abolish the Death Penalty (Steering Committee), Southern Arizona People’s Law Center, the State Bar Committee on Minorities and Women in the Law, United Way of Tucson, Migrant Legal Action Program and Legal Services Corporation (Washington, DC), and the Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest.
Andy, with attorney and former Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild, started the Civil Rights Restoration Clinic at UA Law in 2006, assisting persons with criminal convictions in restoring their civil rights and getting convictions set aside. In addition to representing clients, the Clinic presents workshops for people representing themselves. In discussing the program, Andy has said, “We believe what we’re doing is lowering the recidivism rate.”
2021 Hon. (Ret.) Karen Nygaard
Karen served 15 years as a Pima County Superior Court Commissioner, retiring in 2013. Early in her career, Karen began volunteering with Southern Arizona Legal Aid’s Volunteer Lawyers Program (VLP), assisting low-income clients who would have been denied legal services if not for volunteers like Karen. When Karen’s appointment as Commissioner limited her direct involvement in pro bono cases, she remained active as a member of VLP’s Advisory Board. In addition, she led continuing education seminars for VLP and helped the organization recognize its volunteers.
Upon retiring from the bench, Karen helped found Step Up to Justice (SU2J), a full-service, free civil legal center for low-income individuals and families that fills the justice gap for Pima County residents who, due to conflicts of interest or other factors, are unable to receive civil legal services from SALA or other providers. Karen has been a frequent volunteer in SU2J Family Law Clinics where she helps self-represented litigants complete paperwork necessary to move their cases forward through the legal system. She assists with a broad range of issues including reviewing clients’ petitions and responses for dissolution, helping clients prepare for trial and in drafting motions, advising clients on modifying legal decision-making or parenting time orders, and helping parents enforce child support orders. In addition to her work with the clinics, Karen remains an active SU2J Board member. She also continues to provide direct volunteer representation to SU2J clients with particularly challenging cases.
2022 Hon. (Ret.) Dean Christoffel (11/15/1948 – 1/16/2024)
When Dean passed away in January 2024, he left a legacy of public service that continues to benefit the local community, even in his absence. He practiced family law in private practice from 1974 to 2011, and then served as a Pima County Superior Court Commissioner from 2011 to 2021. Dean served on the Board of the Arizona Chapter of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts. He was former Chair of the Executive Council of the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Arizona and a co-founder of Simpla Phi Lex, which received the Arizona Supreme Court's Access to Justice Award for revising and simplifying the forms, instructions, and manuals for self-represented family law litigants in Pima County. He served on the Advisory Board of Southern Arizona Legal Aid’s Volunteer Lawyer Program and was a founding member and former President of the Pantano Rotary Club. In 2009, Dean received the William E. Morris Pro Bono Service Award from the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services and Education. In 2019, he received the Peter Economidis Award for Lifetime Achievement for Contributions to Family Law Award from the Foundation for Family Justice.
Dean was instrumental in founding Step Up to Justice (SU2J) in 2016 as a privately funded non-profit law firm created to address gaps in civil legal services available to low-income individuals and families in Pima County. He served on its Board of Directors until his death and is honored on SU2J’s website as “a remarkable advocate and ambassador for the organization, … often becoming emotional when speaking with groups about the impact of SU2J volunteers.” As described in his obituary, “Dean’s life's work was dedicated to uniting justice and compassion.” His passing leaves a nearly unfillable void in the Pima County legal community’s commitment to public service.
2023 Hon. Nikki Chayet
Upon retiring from the bench, Karen helped found Step Up to Justice (SU2J), a full-service, free civil legal center for low-income individuals and families that fills the justice gap for Pima County residents who, due to conflicts of interest or other factors, are unable to receive civil legal services from SALA or other providers. Karen has been a frequent volunteer in SU2J Family Law Clinics where she helps self-represented litigants complete paperwork necessary to move their cases forward through the legal system. She assists with a broad range of issues including reviewing clients’ petitions and responses for dissolution, helping clients prepare for trial and in drafting motions, advising clients on modifying legal decision-making or parenting time orders, and helping parents enforce child support orders. In addition to her work with the clinics, Karen remains an active SU2J Board member. She also continues to provide direct volunteer representation to SU2J clients with particularly challenging cases.
2022 Hon. (Ret.) Dean Christoffel (11/15/1948 – 1/16/2024)
When Dean passed away in January 2024, he left a legacy of public service that continues to benefit the local community, even in his absence. He practiced family law in private practice from 1974 to 2011, and then served as a Pima County Superior Court Commissioner from 2011 to 2021. Dean served on the Board of the Arizona Chapter of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts. He was former Chair of the Executive Council of the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Arizona and a co-founder of Simpla Phi Lex, which received the Arizona Supreme Court's Access to Justice Award for revising and simplifying the forms, instructions, and manuals for self-represented family law litigants in Pima County. He served on the Advisory Board of Southern Arizona Legal Aid’s Volunteer Lawyer Program and was a founding member and former President of the Pantano Rotary Club. In 2009, Dean received the William E. Morris Pro Bono Service Award from the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services and Education. In 2019, he received the Peter Economidis Award for Lifetime Achievement for Contributions to Family Law Award from the Foundation for Family Justice.
Dean was instrumental in founding Step Up to Justice (SU2J) in 2016 as a privately funded non-profit law firm created to address gaps in civil legal services available to low-income individuals and families in Pima County. He served on its Board of Directors until his death and is honored on SU2J’s website as “a remarkable advocate and ambassador for the organization, … often becoming emotional when speaking with groups about the impact of SU2J volunteers.” As described in his obituary, “Dean’s life's work was dedicated to uniting justice and compassion.” His passing leaves a nearly unfillable void in the Pima County legal community’s commitment to public service.
2023 Hon. Nikki Chayet
During her service as a City Magistrate from 1989 until her retirement in 2019, Nikki Chayet has shown a commitment to public service which extends well beyond her judicial role. As a member of the Law College Association Board, she has demonstrated a deep dedication to advancing legal education and promoting the interests of law students. Her active involvement in the Board has proven instrumental in implementing initiatives that enhance the learning experience and ensure the success of aspiring legal professionals. Likewise, her service to Arizona Women Lawyers Association has shown her commitment to the advancement of women in the legal profession. She has served as a mentor and advocate for countless women lawyers over her distinguished career. In 2011, she received the prestigious Alice Truman Leadership Award given by the Southern Arizona Chapter of AWLA.
Nikki volunteers for Tucson Homeless Connect events, whose mission is to provide a single location where local agencies, government, businesses, medical providers, and the faith community collaborate to help homeless persons with basic needs, referrals and advocacy. As a judge, Nikki has helped hundreds of people to resolve outstanding police citations or other court issues that may prevent them from getting jobs or that leave them vulnerable to arrest or incarceration for minor, unresolved offenses. She is a long-time member and past President of the Old Pueblo Chapter of Zonta International, an organization that seeks to empower women worldwide through service and advocacy. Locally, Zonta’s activities supports agencies that help women in crisis.
Nikki has a profound love for the arts, which she leverages as a powerful tool for community development. Recognizing the transformative power of artistic expression, she has actively championed initiatives that promote cultural enrichment and creative engagement. Through her unwavering support for local artists and musicians and dedication to fostering a vibrant artistic community, Nikki has enhanced the quality of life for residents and created opportunities for aspiring artists to thrive.
Nikki volunteers for Tucson Homeless Connect events, whose mission is to provide a single location where local agencies, government, businesses, medical providers, and the faith community collaborate to help homeless persons with basic needs, referrals and advocacy. As a judge, Nikki has helped hundreds of people to resolve outstanding police citations or other court issues that may prevent them from getting jobs or that leave them vulnerable to arrest or incarceration for minor, unresolved offenses. She is a long-time member and past President of the Old Pueblo Chapter of Zonta International, an organization that seeks to empower women worldwide through service and advocacy. Locally, Zonta’s activities supports agencies that help women in crisis.
Nikki has a profound love for the arts, which she leverages as a powerful tool for community development. Recognizing the transformative power of artistic expression, she has actively championed initiatives that promote cultural enrichment and creative engagement. Through her unwavering support for local artists and musicians and dedication to fostering a vibrant artistic community, Nikki has enhanced the quality of life for residents and created opportunities for aspiring artists to thrive.
2024 Michael Aaron
Michael is a past President of both the Pima County Bar Association and Pima County Bar Foundation, and continues to serve as a Foundation Trustee. Michael has served on nearly every committee of the Foundation and there is no activity of the Foundation that has not benefited from Michael’s direct involvement. Michael helped launch PCBF’s Family Law Clinic and continues with its presentations. He assisted with the Superior Court’s “Court Night” program, going back to its inception. Michael has been a reliable contributor to Law Day and was instrumental to the success of last year’s initial Constitution Day program. Michael has given presentations in the schools for drug awareness and Career Day programs.
Michael, like Juan, is guided by the philosophy that because law is a profession and not merely a business, those of us who have the privilege of practicing the profession also have the ethical responsibility to give something back to our communities. The Pima County legal community and the community-at-large have benefited immeasurably from Michael’s service. PCBF congratulates and extends its gratitude to Michael Aaron, the 2024 recipient of the Juan Perez-Medrano Excellence in Public Service Award.
Michael, like Juan, is guided by the philosophy that because law is a profession and not merely a business, those of us who have the privilege of practicing the profession also have the ethical responsibility to give something back to our communities. The Pima County legal community and the community-at-large have benefited immeasurably from Michael’s service. PCBF congratulates and extends its gratitude to Michael Aaron, the 2024 recipient of the Juan Perez-Medrano Excellence in Public Service Award.