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The Criminal Justice Section has four awards:

  1. Thurgood Marshall Award (formerly the Criminal Justice Section Award). It is presented at our annual holiday party in December.

  2. Cesare Beccaria Award. It is presented every November at a reception in the Mayor's Reception Room in City Hall. The Justinian Society participates in the award and presentation.

  3. Henry Czajkowski Award. This award was created in 1996 to honor the late Hank Czajkowski, an outstanding court administrator. It is to be presented from time to time to non-lawyers who have made outstanding contributions to the administration of justice. In 1996 it was presented to Joseph A. Cairone.

  4. Honorable Frederica Massiah-Jackson Community Justice Engagement AwardThe Honorable Frederica Massiah-Jackson Community Justice Engagement Award which honors the work of individuals or organizations that have succeeded in promoting justice in and for our communities and individuals before, during or after entry into the criminal justice system.

Standards for Awarding the Thurgood Marshall Award

The purpose of the Award is to represent the highest honor that the Criminal Justice Section can give to anyone, whether or not a member of the Section, who exemplifies the ideals of Justice Thurgood Marshall's career. The Award should be for long-time service, not an individual event, although a specific event can be the triggering factor.

  1. It should be awarded to someone who has devoted time, energy and talent to improving the standards of justice in the Philadelphia and Pennsylvania courts.

  2. It should recognize significant accomplishments in improving the administration of criminal justice.

  3. It should recognize significant accomplishments in achieving the goals of the Criminal Justice Section.

  4. It should recognize distinguished service consistently rendered over a considerable period of time or a single outstanding achievement in a particular year. (The fact that this single achievement may have occurred some years ago is not material so long as it has not been recognized).

  5. It should not be awarded merely for exemplary permanence in a paid job relating to criminal justice. It should represent service above and beyond compensated employment.

  6. The recipient should demonstrate great legal talent, administrative abilities or devotion to a cause, whether popular or not. For example, a lawyer (prosecutor or defense) who represents unpopular causes or unpopular defendants; a judge who develops innovative techniques for disposing of cases without minimizing rights of defendants or victims; an administrator who devises new systems of disposing cases; an organization which makes an innovative contribution to the criminal justice system; an individual or organization which fosters legal education and training.

Standards for Awarding the Beccaria Award

This Award represents the highest honor that the Criminal Justice Section can give to any member of the Bar, whether or not a member of the Section, who exemplifies the ideals of the career of Cesare Beccaria, the 18th century Italian scholar whose writings presaged the dawn of the modern penal system. The Award is to recognize distinguished achievement of a member of the Philadelphia Bar in the field of education in criminal justice, including legal and/or general education activities in the field.

Beccaria published a book in 1764 advocating a new and complete system of criminal law and procedure stressing swift trials, prompt, moderate and certain punishment, rehabilitation and the abolition of the death penalty. However, advocacy of these principles should not be the only criteria for the Award.

  1. It should be awarded to someone who has devoted time, energy and talent to educating and improving the standards of education in the Philadelphia and Pennsylvania area in the field of criminal justice.

  2. It should recognize significant accomplishments in improving educational principles in the criminal field.

  3. It should recognize significant accomplishments in achieving the goals of the Criminal Justice Section.

  4. It should recognize distinguished service consistently rendered over a considerable period of time or a single outstanding achievement in a particular year. (The fact that this single achievement may have occurred some years ago is not material so long as it has not been previously recognized).

  5. It should not be awarded merely for exemplary performance in a paid job relating to criminal education, but should represent service above and beyond compensated employment.

  6. The recipient should demonstrate legal educational efforts, development of new and innovative courses in criminal education, and should foster legal education and training in the field of criminal justice.

Criminal Justice Section Award Recipients

(Precursor to Thurgood Marshall Award)

 

  • 1989 Samuel C. Stretton, Esquire
  • 1988 Edward Dennis, Esquire
  • 1982 Louis Lipschitz, Esquire, Abe Needleman, Esquire, Herbert Hardin, Esquire, Ben Levy, Esquire, Milton Leidner, Esquire
  • 1977 Martin Vinikoor, Esquire
  • 1976 Brem Levy, Esquire
  • Note: (year uncertain) Senator Arlen Specter, Stanford Shmukler, Esquire
  • Note: Names not available for 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, l985, 1986, 1987

 

Thurgood Marshall Award Recipients

  • 2024 Honorable Barbara A. McDermott and Kathryn Coviello-Cacciamani, Esq.
  • 2023 Honorable Lucretia Clemons and David Rudovsky, Esq.
  • 2022 Dave Richman
  • 2021 Thurgood Matthews (Posthumously)
  • 2020 Thomas J. Innes III
  • 2019 Hon. Charles Ehrlich
  • 2018 Stuart H. Schuman, Esq.
  • 2017 Hon. Theodore A. McKee
  • 2016 Hon. Marsha H. Neifield
  • 2015 Len Sosnov, Esq.
  • 2014 Prof. Edward D. Olbaum (Posthumously)
  • 2013 Hon. Lydia Kirkland
  • 2012 Alan Yatvin
  • 2011 Juvenile Law Center, Marsha Levick, Robert Schwartz
  • 2010 Ellen T. Greenlee, Esq.
  • 2009 Co-Recipients, George Mosee, Esq. and Hon. Louis H. Pollak
  • 2008 Co-Recipients, Maureen Rowley, Esq. and Michael Coard, Esq.
  • 2007 Hon. Darnell C. Jones II
  • 2006 George Henry Newman, Esquire
  • 2005 Hon. Benjamin Lerner
  • 2004 Bernard L. Siegel, Esquire
  • 2003 Hon. Abram Frank Reynolds
  • 2002 Judith Frankel Rubino, Esquire
  • 2001 Hon. Anthony J. DeFino
  • 2000 Deputy District Attorney Raymond Harley
  • 1999 Councilperson David Cohen
  • 1998 Hon. Legrome Davis
  • 1997 Steven G. Laver, Esquire
  • 1996 Hon. Carolyn Engel Temin
  • 1995 Burton A. Rose, Esquire
  • 1994 Bruce A. Franzel, Esquire
  • 1993 Hon. Lois Forer
  • 1992 Stanford Shmukler, Esquire
  • 1991 A. Charles Peruto, Esquire, Hon. Stanley Kubacki

Beccaria Award Recipients

  • 2023 Sara Jacobson, Esquire
  • 2021 Louis M. Natali, Jr.
  • 2019 Daniel Silverman, Esquire
  • 2014 Daniel Rendine, Sr., Esquire, Daniel Rendine, Jr., Esquire
  • 2013 Burton A, Rose, Esquire
  • 2012 Carmen C, Nasuti, Esquire
  • 2011 Hon. William J. Mazzola
  • 2010 Frank DeSimone, Esquire
  • 2009 Gaetan J. Alfano, Esquire
  • 2008 Hon. Anthony J. De Fino
  • 2007 Hon. Carolyn Engel Temin
  • 2006 Michael C. Rainone, Esquire (Chair Emeritus)
  • 2005 David Rudovsky, Esquire
  • 2004 A. Charles Peruto, Sr., Esquire
  • 2003 Jules Epstein, Esquire
  • 2002 Hon. Charles P. Mirarchi, Jr.
  • 2001 Hon. Anthony J. Scirica
  • 2000 L. Felipe Restrepo, Esquire
  • 1999 Donald C. Marino, Esquire, Hon. Edmund B. Spaeth, Jr.
  • 1998 Hon. Louis J. Presenza, Professor Edward D. Ohlbaum
  • 1997 Mary DeFusco, Esquire
  • 1996 Hon. Abraham J. Gafni
  • 1995 Professor James A. Strazzella
  • 1994 Hon. Lisa A. Richette

Henry Czajkowski Award Recipients

(Presented for Administration of Justice -- not for lawyers or judges)

  • 2023 Mark H. Bergstrom
  • 2022 Sharon Malvestuto
  • 2020 Rosanne Unger
  • 2014 Janet Fasy, Deputy Court Administrator for the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania, Joseph Evers, Court Administrator for the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania, Hon. Sheila Woods-Skipper, Hon. Kevin Dougherty, On Behalf of the Court Reporter, Digital Recording and Interpreter Administrator
  • 2013 Courtroom Operations
  • 2010 Joseph A. Lanzalotti, Deputy Court Administrator for the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania
  • 2008 Philadelphia Police Department Detective Bill Wynn (Ret.)
  • 2005 Stephen Jaffe
  • 2001 Kathleen Rapone
  • 1996 Joseph A. Cairone

Honorable Frederica Massiah-Jackson Community Justice Engagement Award Recipients

  • 2024 Silvana Mazzella and Prevention Point Philadelphia
  • 2023 Reverend Michelle Simmons and Why Not Prosper
  • 2022 Marian Marchese and New Leash on Life
  • 2021 Dr. Dorothy Johnson-Speight, Founder and National Executive Director of Mothers in Charge, and Reuben Jones, Executive Director, Frontline Dads

Criminal Justice Section Bar Star Winners

  • 2024 Aaron Marcus and Meredith Zeitzer
  • 2023 Marissa Bluestine and Jules Epstein
  • 2022 Susan Lin and Tom Innes
  • 2021 Andrew Wellbrock and Troy H. Wilson
  • 2020 Aaron C. Finestone and Kathryn Cacciamani
  • 2019 Kenneth L. Mirsky

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