Donald R. Worsfold Distinguished Service Award
This award recognizes a member of the Grand Rapids Bar Association for a career of service to the Bar, the profession, and the community. This award is presented when the Association wishes to acknowledge and honor the contributions of a member whose service stands out for its extraordinary impact on the life of the community.
| 1989: Rosemary Scott | 2004: John H. Logie | 2015: Richard E. Hillary | 2022: Thomas R. Behm |
| 1991: Hon. R. Stuart Hoffius | 2005: Stephen C. Bransdorfer | 2015: H. Rhett Pinsky | 2023: Richard E. Zambon |
| 1993: Conrad A. Bradshaw | 2006: L. Roland Roegge | 2016: Paul R. Abrahamsen | 2024: Hon. Jennifer Faber |
| 1994: Ernest A. Mika | 2007: Ann M. Cooper | 2017: Jon G. March | 2025: Anita Hitchcock |
| 1995: Richard B. Baxter | 2008: Bruce W. Neckers | 2018: Hon. William Kelly | |
| 1996: Robert J. Dugan | 2009: James S. Brady | 2018: Hon. Janet Neff | |
| 1997: John W. Cummiskey | 2010: William S. Farr | 2018: Hon. Paul Sullivan | |
| 1998: Floyd H. Skinner | 2011: Jack L. Hoffman | 2019: Kristin Vanden Berg | |
| 2002: Hon. Douglas W. Hillman | 2012: Hon. Benjamin H. Logan | 2020: Elizabeth Joy Fossel | |
| 2002: Hon. John P. Steketee | 2013: Hon. Sara Smolenski | 2021: Rodney D. Martin | |
| 2003: Stephen R. Drew | 2014: Jon R. Muth | 2021: Leslie C. Curry |
GRBA President's Award
This award is given annually to recognize special contributions by a GRBA member in service and/or support to the GRBA Board of Trustees, Executive Committee, and Executive Director.
| 2002: Roger H. Oetting | 2010: Matthew L. Vicari | 2018: Michael Adams | 2022: Alexander J. Thibodeau |
| 2003: Jon R. Muth | 2011: Randall L. Velzen | 2018: William Azkoul | 2023: Dean F. Pacific |
| 2004: Michael W. Betz | 2012: Rodney D. Martin | 2019: Hon. Christopher P. Yates | 2023: Kent W. Mudie |
| 2005: Kristin M. Vanden Berg | 2013: Elizabeth Joy Fossel | 2019: Scott R. Melton | 2024: Philip Strom |
| 2006: Don LeDuc | 2014: Mark R. Smith | 2019: Richard E. Zambon | 2025: Sarah Howard |
| 2007: Bruce Courtade | 2015: Ann Cooper | 2020: Richard Stevens | |
| 2008: Paul T. Sorensen | 2016: Courtney L. Quist | 2021: Julia A. Kelly | |
| 2009: Thomas R. Behm | 2017: Benjamin H. Hammond | 2021: Thomas P. Murray, Jr. |
Liberty Bell Award
This award honors a non-lawyer or a non-profit organization that has made an outstanding contribution to the cause of justice or advancing public understanding of the Constitution and our legal system.
| 1962: George LaBour | 1979: Lt. James J. VanderKodde | 1998: Leona Spencer | 2017: Fair Housing Center of West Michigan |
| 1963: Arnold Pigorsh | 1980: Rosemary Murphy | 1999: Dr. Glenn Barkan | 2018: Elizabeth Joy Fossel |
| 1964: Joan L. Wykes | 1981: Dr. Duncan Littlefair | 2000: Wayne J. Bentley | 2019: YWCA - West Central Michigan |
| 1965: Dr. Edward A. Jones | 1982: Dr. John Dow | 2001: Susan W. Heartwell | 2020: Kimberly A. Coleman |
| 1966: Verna Armitage | 1983: Emily Fuerste | 2002: Dirk Koning | 2021: Greater Grand Rapids NAACP |
| 1967: John A. Collins | 1984: Andrea Morse | 2003: Dispute Resolution Center | 2022: Women At Risk International |
| 1967: Lt. Commander Roger B. Chaffee (posthumously) | 1985: Robert S. Muller | 2004: Bernie and Ruth Mulder | 2023: Reverend Nathaniel Moody |
| 1967: Sgt. Stanley Van Tuinen | 1986: Hazel Baar | 2005: We the People Coaches | 2023: Charles C Campbell |
| 1968: William A. Johnson | 1987: Prof. Gilbert R. Davis | 2006: Penny Pestle | 2024: The Joseph Project |
| 1969: Dr. Walter G. Bergman | 1988: Marjorie C. Wilcox | 2007: Juan Salazar | 2024: The Black and Brown Cannabis Guild |
| 1969: William J. Roh | 1989: Bobbie Butler | 2008: The Prostitution Round Table | 2025: Cole Williams |
| 1971: Frederick J. Meijer | 1990: James K. Haveman | 2009: Janice Yates | |
| 1972: Hon. Lyman S. Parks | 1991: Timothy Helmus | 2010: Home Repair Services | |
| 1973: Dr. Mark Vasu | 1992: Deborah Snow | 2011: CASA of Kent County | |
| 1974: Brigadier Rollin G. Clark | 1993: Chuck Assenco | 2012: Marge Palmerlee | |
| 1975: Dorothy Judd | 1994: Leslie Newman | 2013: Jonathan Bradford | |
| 1976: Fr. Patrick Cawley | 1995: William Hegarty | 2014: Armen Oumedian | |
| 1977: Gerald A. Elliott | 1996: Donald Williams | 2015: Colin M. Sullivan | |
| 1978: Linda Samuelson | 1997: Lee Nelson Weber | 2016: Teresa Weatherall Neal |
3 in 10 Award
The 3 in 10 Awards are presented to attorneys in their first 10 years of practice and who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievements, exceptional public service, and significant contributions to the legal profession.
| 2019: | Christine Cameron | Hon. Kellen Dotson | Katie Johnson |
| 2020: | Leslie Dickinson | Kent Sparks | Daniel Fricke |
| 2021: | Nicholas V. Dondzila | Laura M. Joyce | Alexander J. Thibideau |
| 2022: | Chelsea Mariah Austin | Laura Helderop | Emily S. Rucker |
| 2023: | Chad L. Antuma | Daniel V. Barnett | Kelly R. Hollingsworth |
| 2024: | Davina Bridges | Ashleigh Russett | Jeremy Orenstein |
| 2025: | Ciarra Adkins | Rachel Frank | Melissa Heinz |
Justice Foundation of West Michigan Lifetime Achievement Award
The award recognizes individuals who, through their time, talent and resources, exemplifies a commitment to the principles of improving the administration of justice, educating the public about core democratic values, and promoting legal services to the disadvantaged.
| 2014: Hon. Benjamin Logan | 2020: No Award Presented |
| 2014: Hon. Robert A. Benson | 2021: Carl VerBeek |
| 2015: Jon Muth | 2022: Hon. William G. Kelly |
| 2016: Robert Jay Eleveld and | 2023: Hon. Janet T. Neff |
| 2016: L. Roland “Bud” Roegge | 2024: Stephen Drew |
| 2017: Bruce Neckers and | 2024: Peter Armstrong |
| 2017: H. Rhett Pinsky | 2025: Hon. Sara Smolenski |
| 2018: Ann Cooper | |
| 2019: Bruce Barnhart and | |
| 2019: John Tully |
Champion of Justice Award
The Champion of Justice Award will recognize one or more special or innovative contributions of a lawyer which advance the mission of the GRBA, which is: To promote justice, professional excellence, and respect for the law, foster the dignity and integrity of the profession, and/or provide law-related services to the community. A singular achievement of a lawyer, young or old, qualifies for Award recognition.
| 2024: Kamau Sandiford |
| 2025: Tracey Brame |