The Center for Women in Law, through the Hortense Ward Courageous Leader Award, seeks to recognize on a biennial basis one outstanding lawyer who exemplifies Ward’s tenacity, courage, and commitment to advancing women in the legal profession. The award honors a lawyer whose leadership and accomplishments have helped create opportunities for women and expanded their ability to achieve positions of leadership, influence and responsibility throughout the profession.
Nomination Criteria:
Each nominee must:
- Be a graduate of a law school
- Have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement
- Have a history of efforts to advance women in positions of leadership, influence, and responsibility in the legal profession, exhibited in one or more of the following ways:
- Being a public voice for women
- Taking specific, concrete steps to remove barriers and expand pathways for women lawyers
- Creating opportunities that advance women lawyers
- Expanding pathways to leadership for women lawyers from diverse backgrounds
- Preference may be given to nominees whose impact extends beyond their communities and has national significance.
- Commit to attend the award ceremony on Friday, April 16, 2027.
Nomination Procedure:
Submit a nomination form in addition to a 2-page letter that outlines specific examples of the nominee’s credentials based on the criteria above. Supporting documents must include the nominee’s resume/curriculum vitae and at least three (but no more than five) recommendation letters from other individuals. At least one recommendation letter must come from a woman who benefited directly from the nominee’s efforts. The nomination packet may also include articles that display the nominee’s credentials and additional personal anecdotes.
If a nomination package was submitted in a prior year for the nominee, please check the box on page 3 of the online form: “Nomination for previous nominee.” You may submit updated supporting documents, including additional letters of recommendation.
Past Hortense Ward Courageous Leader Award Recipients
2025 - Casey Ryan
Casey Ryan
Global Managing Partner and Executive Committee Chair, Reed Smith
Casey Ryan is the Global Managing Partner and Executive Committee Chair of Reed Smith.
2023 - The Honorable Bernice Bouie Donald
The Honorable Bernice B. Donald
United States Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
THE HONORABLE BERNICE B. DONALD was nominated to the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit by President Barack Hussein Obama on December 1, 2010 and re- nominated in January 2011.
2020 - Patricia Diaz Dennis
Patricia Diaz Dennis
Former United States Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
PATRICIA DIAZ DENNIS is a longstanding leader and groundbreaking role model. For decades, she has forged paths and opened doors of opportunity for women, and remains committed to keeping them open.
2018 - Roberta Liebenberg
Roberta D. Liebenberg
Senior Partner, Fine Kaplan and Black
Roberta D. Liebenberg is a senior partner at Fine, Kaplan and Black in Philadelphia, where she focuses her practice on class actions, antitrust, and complex commercial litigation. Ms.
2016 - Michele Coleman Mayes
Michele Coleman Mayes
Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
Michele Coleman Mayes, was appointed Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary at The New York Public Library in 2012. She serves as chief legal officer and is responsible for guiding NYPL's legal strategy to enable the Library to achieve its mission.
2014- Mary Cranston
Mary Cranston
Senior Partner (former managing partner), Pillsbury
Mary B. Cranston is the Firm Senior Partner and immediate past Chair of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP. In her eight years as Chair, Ms. Cranston expanded the firm from a regional California base into an international platform through two large mergers and the addition of seven offices.