Member Awards

Many members of the Inn have been recognized by the American Inns of Court throughout the years:

Two Inn members have received the Lewis F. Powell, Jr. Award for Professionalism and Ethics.  This award is presented to a person "who has rendered exemplary service in the areas of professionalism, ethics, civility, and excellence."  In 1999, Inn leader Robert R. Merhige, Jr., United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Virginia, received this honor.  In 2019, this award was presented to Donald W. Lemons, former Inn President from 2002-2004, former President of the American Inns of Court from 2010-2014, and current Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia.

Two members of the Inn have received the Sandra Day O'Connor Award for Professional Service.  This award honors an American Inn of Court member in practice ten or fewer years for excellence in public interest or pro bono activities.  In 2003, Inn member Maya Eckstein was presented with this award and in 2007, Inn member Christy E. Kiely was honored with this award.  

Inn Awards

In 2019, the Inn received an Outstanding Program Award for its program Justice in the Classroom, a partnership with the John Marshall Foundation and the Virginia Law Foundation.

Since 2011, the Inn has been recognized through the Achieving Excellence program, which is a tiered achievement-based program that recognizes activities in which Inns are already involved and builds on an Inn's successes.  Each level recognizes an Inn's progress toward mastering effective practices in each of the five core competencies of Inn management: Administration, Communications, Program Development, Mentoring and Outreach Activities.

The Inn obtained Bronze status in 2011 for the 2010-2011 year and Silver status in 2012 (for the 2011-2012 year) and 2013 (for the 2012-2013 year).  In 2014, the Inn achieved Platinum status, the highest honor, for the 2013-2014 year, and has maintained its Platinum Status every year since!

Notable Achievements

In addition to recognition from the American Inns, the John Marshall Inn's members are leaders in the Richmond legal community, including serving as:

  • former and current Virginia State Bar leaders;
  • former and current officers of specialty bar groups, including the Virginia Bar Association, Bar Association of the City of Richmond, Old Dominion Bar Association, Hill-Tucker Bar Association, Metropolitan Richmond Women's Bar Association, and Richmond Chapter of the Federal Bar Association;
  • faculty of the Harry L. Carrico Professionalism Course of the Virginia State Bar