Award of Special Merit
Established in April 1988, the Award of Special Merit is presented by the Board of Governors to members of the State Bar of Arizona who have made significant contributions to the furtherance of public understanding of the legal system, the administration of justice, and confidence in the legal profession.
2024 Recipient
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Chris Russell graduated from Gonzaga University School of Law in 1996. He joined the Judge Advocate General’s Corps and served on active duty from 1997-2003. He left active duty in 2003 for private practice and continued to serve in the reserves until retirement. Chris focuses on personal injury/wrongful death law, as well as criminal defense. He is one of the founding members and on the board of The Better Bucks/Better Work program for the homeless in Sierra Vista. He is an active member of The Huachucans, a program dedicated to raising money and helping kids. Chris serves the State Bar on the Board of Governors, and this past year lent a hand in reconstituting the Cochise County Bar Association. Chris provides meeting space for the Cochise County Reentry Coalition, a program dedicated to assisting those coming out of prison, and the Sierra Vista Company of the Arizona Rangers. He is surrounded by family and friends. His wife Sandy, also a lawyer, often provides sage advice that lights the way forward and from time-to-time keeps Chris out of “trouble.” He has the pleasure of working with an outstanding legal team, which includes his daughter Jordan, a 1L, and retired Judge Laura Cardinal. |
Previous Recipients
The award has been presented to:
| 1988 | Hon. Frank X. Gordon, Jr |
| 1989 | Not awarded |
| 1990 | Hon. L. Ray Haire |
| 1991 | Prof. Charles M. Smith Hon. Morris K. Udall |
| 1992 | Not awarded |
| 1993 | Mark I. Harrison Charles T. Stevens |
| 1994 | Hon. Nikki A. Chayet Patricia A. Sallen John M. Schlosser |
| 1995 | E. Calvin Fuchs II Duke Nordlinger Stern |
| 1996 | Christopher Johns |
| 1997 | Michael M. Grant |
| 1998 | Not awarded |
| 1999 | Hon. Norman S. Fenton |
| 2000 | Sen. Marc L. Spitzer Hon. Thomas A. Zlaket |
| 2001 | Timothy M. Hogan Norman L. Miller |
| 2002 | Daniel Cracchiolo |
| 2003 | Walter Cheifetz |
| 2004 | Hon. Edward E. Davis (posthumously) |
| 2005 | Frances L. Johansen |
| 2006 | Anthony W. Clark Susan R. Agrillo Norma L. Classen |
| 2007 | Theodore Campagnolo Hon. Gary E. Donahoe |
| 2008 | Larry C. McVey Sidney T. Marable (posthumously) |
| 2009 | John W. Rogers |
| 2010 | Gary R. Stickell Alex E. Navidad |
| 2011 | Hon. Daniel A. Barker James W. Richardson |
| 2012 | Hon. Ann A. Scott Timmer Stephen Weiss |
| 2013 | Mark E. Meltzer |
| 2014 | William W. Owsley |
| 2015 | David B. Rosenbaum |
| 2016 | Gary M. Kula |
| 2017 | Robert L. Gottsfield |
| 2018 | Hon. Michael P. Pollard |
| 2019 | Hon. Dan R. Slayton |
| 2020 | Stacy Rupprecht Butler Denice R. Shepherd |
| 2021 | Anne Ronan |
| 2022 | Know Your Rights |
| 2023 | Barbara Atwood |
| 2024 | D. Christopher Russell |
State Bar Annual Awards
- Award of Appreciation
- Award of Special Merit
- Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Award
- Hon. John R. Sticht Disability Achievement Award
- James A. Walsh Outstanding Jurist Award
- Mark I. Harrison Excellence in Mentorship Award
- Member of the Year Award
- Michael C. Cudahy Criminal Justice Award
- Outstanding In-House Counsel of the Year Award
- President's Award
- Sharon A. Fullmer Legal Aid Attorney of the Year Award
- Tom Karas Criminal Justice Award