Professor Jack Harrison
LSU Law Professor Jack Harrison was honored with the prestigious Lucy McGough Juvenile Justice Award at the 35th Annual Justice Albert Tate, Jr. Awards Banquet in New Orleans on Dec. 9, 2022. Presented by the Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the award recognizes Harrison’s “involvement with juvenile justice issues that affect our justice systems daily.”
“The award means a great deal to me, as it recognizes the great worth of juvenile advocacy,” Harrison said. “In accepting the award, my thoughts immediately went to my colleagues in the juvenile justice system.”
Harrison has dedicated his career to advocating for and working on behalf of juveniles in the justice system. After graduating from LSU Law in 2004, he spent 14 years as a juvenile defender for the East Baton Rouge Office of the Public Defender. Prior to being appointed a full-time faculty member at the Paul M. Hebert Law Center in the clinical legal education program in 2021, Harrison had served as an adjunct professor at LSU Law since 2009.
“Juvenile justice has been elevated to its rightful place as an equal part of the criminal justice system by the hard work and dedication of attorneys like Jack Harrison,” the LACDL said in a statement announcing the award.
Harrison said he’s particularly honored to receive an award that’s named in honor of his mentor and friend, LSU Law Professor Emerita Lucy McGough.
“The work that she has done over many years has helped create and define a juvenile justice system in which I have the honor of practicing,” said Harrison, who was also named the “Fearless Children’s Lawyer of the Month” by the American Bar Association in August 2021. “She has meant a great deal to the Law Center, to the field of juvenile justice, and to me.”
Along with Harrison, LSU Law alumna Betty Marak (’87) was honored by the LACDL with the Public Defender Gideon Award “for her dedicated work to representing indigents for years which gives meaning to our constitution everyday by giving the 6th amendment right to counsel true effect.” Others honored at the 35th Annual Justice Albert Tate, Jr. Awards Banquet included:
- Billy Sothern was awarded the Justice Albert Tate Jr. Award. The award is named in honor of the late Justice Albert Tate, Jr. (’48), who served on the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Louisiana State Supreme Court. The Award is presented for outstanding contributions to the Louisiana system of criminal justice and is dedicated to constitutional principles. It is designed to honor individuals for dedication to, or in defense of, those constitutional principles for which Justice Tate stood, and it is LACDL’s most prestigious award.
- Caroline Tillman was awarded the Sam Dalton – Gary Clements Capital Defense Advocacy Award because of her dedication to Capital Defense Advocacy in Louisiana. This organization has spent their career advocating for Criminal Justice and is known and respected by those in the Criminal Defense Profession.
- Ian Hipwell was awarded the Criminal Justice Act Panel Attorney Award. This award was presented to a Criminal Justice Act panel attorney who demonstrated extraordinary commitment, professionalism, and achievement in the appointed representation of clients in the federal courts of Louisiana.
- The OPD Resentencing Unit was awarded the Trustees of Freedom Gideon Award. This award is in recognition of outstanding contributions to the Right to Counsel, including legislative work, work “in the trenches” and a concern for clients and criminal justice in the last year or more.
- Joseph A. Marino, III was awarded the Chief Justice Pascal F. Calogero, Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award. This award is named for recognition of outstanding work on behalf of criminal justice in an official position. It honors judges, legislators, and others.
- Lisa Wayne was awarded the President’s Appreciation Award. This award was created to honor an individual or group of individuals who provided guidance, support, and dedication to LACDL during the president’s term.
- Letita Parker-Davis was awarded the Trustees of Freedom Lifetime Service Award is given in recognition of outstanding accomplishments over a lifetime of service on behalf of the law.
