Andy Nea Honored As Volunteer Attorney of the Year by the Greater Richmond Bar Foundation
Press release from the Greater Richmond Bar Foundation
(Richmond) On October 24, 2013, Attorney Andy Nea was honored as the 2013 Benjamin R. Lacy, IV Pro Bono Clearinghouse Volunteer by the Greater Richmond Bar Foundation (GRBF) at a special reception with Keynote Speaker, the Honorable Bernard S. Goodwyn, Supreme Court of Virginia.
About 5th Annual Pro Bono Clearinghouse Award Reception
During National Pro Bono Celebration week, GRBF honors one of its volunteer attorneys who best exemplifies the spirit of pro bono service and who has served the nonprofit community above and beyond expectations. This year, the volunteer selected was nominated by more than one nonprofit client during the call for nominations, and had consistent praise from all his. Our 5th award recipient (and 2d recipient of the renamed “Benjamin R. Lacy, IV Pro Bono Clearinghouse Volunteer “ Award) was Attorney Andy Nea of Williams Mullen.
The reception was held at the Williams Mullen building downtown on October 24, 2013. The guests included Andy Nea’s family and friends, other Pro Bono Clearinghouse volunteers, attorneys from Firms In Service –Richmond, legal aid attorneys, executive directors of local nonprofits, and the Board of Directors of GRBF, among other distinguished guests.
In presenting the Award to Andy Nea, current GRBF President, Leslie T. Haley stated that “providing free legal assistance to nonprofits is the mission of the Pro Bono Clearinghouse. Our attorneys want to give back to their communities, and we are pleased to connect the attorneys to these opportunities to serve. This year, our volunteer attorneys gave back over $175,000 in free legal services to nonprofits in Central Virginia.”
Leslie Haley noted that no volunteer provides pro bono service to get recognition, and that the service itself is the best reward, and that Andy Nea epitomizes this humble servant. Nonetheless, GRBF wanted to honor Andy for his 12 years as a Pro Bono Clearinghouse volunteer with services provided to over 70 nonprofits.
Andy Nea accepted the award, noting that he was honored to receive this award in particular because of the great legacy of service provided by the namesake, Ben Lacy. Andy also called upon his fellow retired attorneys to get involved with pro bono service.
About Andy Nea:
Andy Nea is the Pro Bono Partner at Williams Mullen, working to assist non-profits and individuals referred from various legal service organizations, including the GRBF Pro Bono Clearinghouse. Andy serves as counsel to Metro Richmond Habitat for Humanity and the Heart of Virginia Council of the Boy Scouts of America.
Andy was nominated for the 2013 Benjamin R. Lacy IV Pro Bono Clearinghouse Volunteer award by several nonprofits clients he helped this year, including Hunter Country Day School, a classical, Christian school in Goochland Country and AmeriCorps VISTA, a service program designed to fight poverty. Andy has helped more than 70 nonprofits since the opening of the Pro Bono Clearinghouse in 2001.
In addition, Andy has created a traveling Wills Clinic program as a community outreach service for individuals served by nonprofit organizations, like Senior Connections, YWCA, and CARITAS. Through a partnership with GRBF, the attorneys are able to access malpractice insurance while volunteering.
At each Wills Clinic session, the clients are served by attorneys and law students to receive finalized simple wills, advanced medical directives and powers of attorney. Hundreds of individuals have benefited from this program. At CARITAS, the Wills Clinic has become an integral part of The Healing Place and CARITAS Works programs. The program director Tom Bannard shared this comment about Andy:
Andy’s turnkey will’s clinic program has helped more than 70 CARITAS clients receive critical life planning documents, which they otherwise could not afford. Many of our clients are aware that their life style and addiction has left them in a place where a sudden death is not an unlikely scenario, and I have seen many clients relieved that with Andy’s help, they have been able to remove one more potential burden from their families. Always the picture of efficiency and professional, Andy has given our clients nothing but dignity and respect as he walks them through a difficult process.
In addition to the Wills Clinics and pro bono counsel to nonprofits, Andy is active in our community as he serves on the board of governors of Christchurch School, a private college preparatory school located in Middlesex County, Va. as well as on the Board of Governors of Church Schools in the Diocese of Virginia. Andy is also a member of the board of directors of the Greater Richmond Bar Foundation.
About the GBRF
The Greater Richmond Bar Foundation expands public access to the justice system in central Virginia by facilitating the delivery of pro bono legal services and service projects. In addition to the Pro Bono Clearinghouse, GRBF has focused on improving service delivery to low income individuals through its work on the JusticeServer™ project, an on-line case management and skills-based pro bono volunteer matching system. By leveraging technology, JusticeServer will increase the capacity of legal service providers and connect the attorney volunteers to the most critical legal needs in our community.
For more information, please visit www.grbf.org .
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