Award Presentations

Each year since 1983, the Metropolitan News-Enterprise has designated as "Person of the Year" a member of the legal community who, during that year, contributed to an extraordinary extent to the betterment of our system of justice. The person is feted early the following year at a black tie dinner. The annual dinners began in 1988.  Below are photos of Metropolitan News-Enterprise Co-Publishers Jo-Ann W. Grace and/or Roger M. Grace presenting the awards.

 

 

2007 Persons of the Year   Former Los Angeles County District Attorney ROBERT H. PHILIBOSIAN     Los Angeles County Bar Assn. President GRETCHEN NELSON   San Fernando Valley Attorney LEE KANON ALPERT

 

PROFILES ON THE HONOREES:

ROBERT PHILIBOSIAN
Ex-District Attorney Earns Respect as Advocate, Advisor, and Activist

GRETCHEN NELSON
Los Angeles County Bar President Known For Her Commitment to Justice

LEE KANON ALPERT
Valley Lawyer/Civic Leader Has Come Long Way From Detroit Streets

FOR A NEWS STORY ON THE DINNER, CLICK HERE

TO HEAR THE PRESENTATIONS, LEFT-CLICK HERE
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2006 Persons of the Year   Court of Appeal Presiding Justice PAUL ARTHUR TURNER     Political Consultant JOSEPH R. CERRELL   U.S. District Court Judge GEORGE SCHIAVELLI

 

PROFILES ON THE HONOREES:

PAUL TURNER
Presiding Justice Leads Division Five With Wit and Humor

JOSEPH R. CERRELL
After 40 Years in the Field, He’s ‘King’ of Political Consultants

GEORGE SCHIAVELLI
As a Jurist, He Says He Is Fulfilling His Lifelong Calling to the Bench

FOR A NEWS STORY ON THE DINNER, CLICK HERE

 

  

2005 Persons of the Year     Los Angeles Superior Court Presiding Judge WILLIAM MacLAUGHLIN (now returned to courtroom duties) Los Angeles Superior Court Assistant Presiding Judge J. STEPHEN CZULEGER (now presiding judge)

 

FOR PHOTOS FROM THE EVENT, CLICK HERE
FOR A PROFILE ON THE HONOREES, CLICK HERE
FOR A NEWS STORY ON THE DINNER, CLICK HERE

 

2004 Persons of the Year      2004 State Bar President JOHN VAN DE KAMP   2004 Los Angeles County Bar Assn. President JOHN J. COLLINS

FOR A PROFILE ON THE HONOREES, CLICK HERE

FOR A NEWS STORY ON THE DINNER, CLICK HERE

 

 

1999 Person of the Year      Los Angeles County Sheriff LEE BACA

FOR PHOTOS FROM THE EVENT, CLICK HERE
FOR A PROFILE ON THE HONOREE, CLICK HERE
 

1998 Person of the Year    United States District Judge RONALD S.W. LEW (now on senior status)

1997 Person of the Year   Los Angeles Superior Court Assistant Presiding Judge VICTOR E. CHAVEZ (later presiding judge, now returned to courtroom duties)

FOR PHOTOS FROM THE EVENT, CLICK HERE
FOR A PROFILE ON THE HONOREE, CLICK HERE

1996 Person of the Year   California Chief Justice RONALD M. GEORGE

FOR A PROFILE ON THE HONOREE, CLICK HERE
 

1995 Person of the Year      Attorney General DAN LUNGREN (now a member of Congress)

FOR A NEWS STORY ON THE EVENT, CLICK HERE

1994 Person of the Year   Court of Appeal Justice NORMAN EPSTEIN (now presiding justice)

1993 Person of the Year Los Angeles Superior Court Judge ROBERT MALLANO (now Court of Appeal justice)

 

1992 Person of the Year Court of Appeal Presiding Justice JOAN DEMPSEY KLEIN

 

1991 Person of the Year   Court of Appeal Presiding Justice VAINO SPENCER  (ret.)

 

1990 Persons of the Year Court of Appeal Justice MIRIAM VOGEL, State Bar President CHARLES VOGEL (later Court of Appeal presiding justice, now retired)

1989 Person of the Year    Court of Appeal Justice LYNN "BUCK" COMPTON (since retired)

1988 Person of the Year   Los Angeles Superior Court Executive Officer FRANK ZOLIN (now retired)

 

Persons of the Year in years preceding the inauguration of an annual dinner were.... 1987: Hon. Billy G. Mills 1986: Hon. Kathleen Parker* 1985: Hon. Lester Wm. Roth* 1984: Hon. Stanley Mosk* 1983: Hon. Mildred Lillie* *Deceased

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