Sue Bliss Panda Award and John A. Gillam Outstanding Mentor Award

In 2022, the Patrick E. Higginbotham American Inn of Court established the Sue Bliss Panda Award in memory of Sue Bliss. Sue served the Inn as its Administrator for twenty-two years until her passing in February 2022 and was passionate about the Inn and its mission. The award will be given annually to the Associate or Pupil in the Inn who makes the most outstanding contribution to a pupilage group’s program during the Inn year. Kate Marcom was the first recipient of the award in 2022. Ellen Earl Gillis received the award in 2023, Bobby Hill in 2024 and Carlye Dozier in 2025.

In 2023, the Higginbotham Inn of Court established the John A. Gilliam Outstanding Mentor Award. John Gilliam, who passed away in 2023, was a longtime member of the Inn as one of its original Masters of the Bench and as President of the Inn from 1999 to 2001. John was a great mentor to young trial lawyers. This award, established in John’s memory, is given annually to the Master of the Bench selected by the Barristers, Associates, and Pupils as the most outstanding mentor in the Inn. John’s friends and colleagues also have established the John A. Gilliam Outstanding Mentor Endowment Fund at The Center for American and International Law to provide annual financial support to CAIL as the Inn’s sponsor. Justice Lana R. Myers was the first recipient of the award in 2024 and received the award again in 2025.