The Gold Medal is awarded each year to a lawyer “whose qualifications include outstanding legal accomplishments, an active interest in and positive influence upon the profession, and constructive contributions in civic and community matters.” During its review of candidates, the Committee communicates with whomever will be President of the Association when the award is presented. The Committee submits its recommendations for the recipient of the Gold Medal to the Executive Committee, which makes the final selection.
Contact: Melissa O’Clair
Date Presented: During 2025 Gala Dinner, date TBD
Award Criteria: Distinguished service in the law.
Prize Awarded: Gold Medal
Past Recipients of the Gold Medal:
2024 Jeh C. Johnson
2023 Sherrilyn Ifill
2022 An award was not presented in 2022
2021 An award was not presented in 2021
2020 Hon. Elena Kagan
2019 Janet DiFiore
2018 Roberta A. Kaplan
2017 Mary Jo White
2016 Evan Davis
2015 Hon. Juanita Bing Newton
2014 Louis A. Craco
2013 Peter Neufeld and Barry Scheck
2012 Eric Holder
2011 Robert M. Morgenthau
2010 S. Hazard Gillespie
2009 Frederick A.O. Schwarz
2008 Sandra Day O’Connor
2007 Alexander Forger
2006 John R. Dunne
2005 Helaine M. Barnett
2004 Richard J. Bartlett
2003 Howard A. Levine
2002 Joseph M. McLaughlin
2001 Joseph W. Bellacosa
2000 Stewart F. Hancock, Jr. and Richard D. Simons
1999 Robert MacCrate
1998 Jack B. Weinstein
1997 Judith S. Kaye
1996 John D. Feerick
1995 Ruth Bader Ginsburg
1994 An award was not presented in 1994
1993 William J. Brennan, Jr.
1992 James L. Oakes
1991 Sol Wachtler
1990 Wilfred Feinberg
1989 Lewis F. Powell, Jr.
1988 Constance Baker Motley
1987 Robert B. McKay
1986 Edward Weinfeld
1985 Lawrence H. Cooke and Hugh R. Jones
1984 Potter Stewart
1983 Domenick L. Gabrielli
1982 William Hughes Mulligan
1981 Sol M. Linowitz
1980 Cyrus R. Vance
1979 Charles D. Breitel
1978 Norris Darrell
1977 Francis T.P. Plimpton
1976 Thurgood Marshall
1975 Kenneth B. Keating
1974 Francis Bergan
1973 Henry J. Friendly
1972 Herbert Brownell
1971 Stanley H. Fuld
1970 Bernard Botein
1969 J. Edward Lumbard
1968 Bruce Bromley
1967 Harold R. Medina
1966 John Marshall Harland
1965 Whitney North Seymour
1964 Charles S. Desmond
1963 John J. McCloy
1962 Arthur Dean
1961 Felix Frankfurter
1960 Learned Hand
1959 John Foster Dulles
1958 Edmund H. Lewis
1957 John Lord O’Brien
1956 Harrison Tweed
1955 Arthur T. Vanderbilt
1954 Robert H. Jackson
1953 John W. Davis
1952 Nathan L. Miller