Student, professor receive law honors

A student and a professor from the University of Richmond's T.C. Williams School of Law received honors from the Virginia State Bar this week for their achievements.

The Virginia State Bar's 2009 Oliver White Hill Student Pro Bono Award was presented to Miriam Sincell, a third-year law student. According to the Virginia State Bar's Web site, the award is given each year to a Virginia law student who remained committed to uncompensated or minimally compensated pro bono work and other public service during his or her time at school. The student must have completed a minimum of 100 hours of pro bono work, the Web site reported.

Sincell said that during her time at the law school, she had worked with Street Law, an organization where professors and law school students work with schools and after-school programs to develop lesson plans and teach children about the law. Street Law was the first program with which Sincell worked during her first year at the law school.

"The reason I came to law school," Sincell said, "is to be able to use what I've learned to help others. That's been my general idea for what job I'd get in the future - just something that is community-oriented."

Sincell said she had also worked with Richmond Child Health Advocacy Program, Christian Law Fellowship, Housing Opportunities Made Equal and the Public Interest Law Association.

"I have a psychology background," Sincell said, "and I think I needed to have that human element to keep me sane [in law school]."

Tara Casey, director of the Richmond's Harry L. Carrico Center for Pro Bono Service, nominated Sincell for the award. Casey said that when she had joined the Richmond faculty in 2007, Sincell had already been very involved in pro bono activities.

"I think that certain people make the time and find the time and she's not one to be idle," she said.

Casey said Sincell had already influenced other law school students.

"[Sincell] just makes sure that she reaches out to first- and second-year law students ... to keep the programs viable and successful," she said.

The Virginia State Bar's Committee on Access to Legal Services presented Sincell with the award on April 20 at the state bar's Pro Bono and Access to Justice Conference in Richmond.

Peter Swisher, a Richmond law professor, was presented with the Virginia State Bar's Family Law Section's Lifetime Achievement Award. The Virginia State Bar's Web site reported that the award had recognized those who had demonstrated excellence and integrity and had made a substantial contribution to the practice of family law in Virginia.

Swisher, who has been a member of the law school faculty since 1974, said he was humbled by the award.

"I've worked with some of the other past recipients who were just giants in the field," he said. "I'm excited after 30 years that this is happening."

The Virginia State Bar's Web site cited that Swisher was editor of the Virginia Family Law News and served on the Family Law Section Board of Governors for 12 years. Among many other achievements and extensive writings on family law, Swisher helped establish a family law award in all Virginia law schools and helped to develop legislation through the Virginia Bar Association's Domestic Relations Council, according to the Web site.

"I think that family law is a very important part of the profession," Swisher said. "In my family law class this year, I said family law is in flux and transition -- the issues have changed. This year it's same-sex marriage and civil unions and domestic partnerships."

Swisher said he had received a lot of satisfaction from his students who were now family law practitioners, members of the bar or on the bench.

Aaron Christoff, an attorney in Fairfax, Va., and a former student of Swisher's, nominated him for the award. Swisher said he had also heard from other former students that they had nominated him as well.

Swisher said the part of his professional career that he loved the most had been teaching.

"I don't get paid for teaching," he said, "I get paid for grading exams. I think the students over the past 35 years that I've taught are my greatest achievement. I've done articles and books and that helps me to become a better teacher."

Swisher will receive the award at the Jefferson Hotel on April 24, at the section's Family Law Seminar.

Contact reporter Laurie Guilmartin at laurie.guilmartin@richmond.edu