Browne C. Lewis Section Award, T&E Section of AALS

The Trusts and Estates Section of AALS is seeking nominations for the annual Browne C. Lewis  Section Award. Please share this information broadly. We hope to get many nominations!

Browne C. Lewis  Section Award

Aimed at recognizing outstanding professionals who have made significant or long-term contributions to the field of trusts and estates.

Specifically, the Award will recognize those who have made such contributions through any of the following:

a.  Scholarship, broadly and inclusively defined.

b.  Assumption of leadership roles in the scholarly community;

c. Support to and mentoring of colleagues; service to institutions, including but not limited to schools and professional organizations, both academic and practice-oriented; and

d. Provision of legal services to underserved segments of society.

 

Nomination and Eligibility: Those eligible for the Award include all legal educators, including those holding administrative as well as faculty appointments, whose academic careers (teaching and scholarship) have focused primarily on the trusts and estates field.  However, no current Section officer or Executive Committee member is eligible to receive the Award. To nominate someone, please submit a 1 to 3-page letter identifying the nominee and stating why you believe that person should be considered for this year's Award.  Nominations should be sent to the members of the Awards Committee.

 

More details:  This Award honors Dean Browne C. Lewis, an influential and accomplished legal scholar, attorney, and author. Her scholarship spanned many fields, ranging from artificial intelligence to reproductive technology to  environmental justice - and trusts and estates. Dean Lewis graduated first in her class from Grambling State University in 1983, received a master's degree in public policy from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota, a J.D. from the University of Minnesota, and  an LL.M. in Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Law from the University of Houston Law Center in 1997. Throughout her career, Dean Lewis shaped and strengthened many institutions and advanced the causes of equity and justice. Dean Lewis also had a passion for helping others, especially people with less opportunity for traditional pathways for success. 

 

The Award Committee includes the Section Chair (Reid Weisbord), the Treasurer (Eric Chaffee), and three members of the Executive Committee (CJ Ryan, Carla Spivack, and Allison Tait). Nominations are due to the Award Committee by 5 pm EST on August 1, 2025; please submit your nomination by emailing Allison Tait ([email protected]).