Two former presidents of the State Bar of Michigan, Alfred M. Butzbaugh and the Hon. Victoria A. Roberts, will be presented with the organization's highest and most prestigious honor, the Roberts P. Hudson Award on September 14. They will receive the award at the Friday luncheon during the Bar's 66th Annual Meeting in Lansing.

The Hudson Award is presented for the "unselfish rendering of outstanding and unique service to and on behalf of the State Bar of Michigan, the legal profession and the public."

Butzbaugh is a senior partner in the St. Joseph law firm of Butzbaugh and Dewane, P. L. C. where his practice focuses on civil litigation, business transactions and estate planning. The Hon. Victoria Roberts is a United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Michigan.

Butzbaugh served as the 65th President of the State Bar of Michigan and on the Bar's Board of Commissioners from 1992 until 2000. He rose to the rank of Bar president after serving as Treasurer, (1996-1997), Vice President (1997 -1998), and President-elect (1998-1999).

Butzbaugh is an advocate for assuring equal access to justice for all people and served as chairperson of the State Bar of Michigan's Access to Justice For All Task Force from 1996 to 1999.

Butzbaugh has also served as president of the Berrien County Bar Association and was a member of the Representative Assembly representing the county from 1973 to 1979 and from 1996 to the present. He is a fellow of the Michigan State Bar Foundation and the American Bar Association Foundation. He is also a member of the State Bar of Texas, American Bar Association and the Federation of Insurance and Corporate Counsel.

Butzbaugh is involved in many civic activities and was responsible for initiating the Youth Sports for Benton Harbor endowment program to establish and maintain sports programs for the children of Benton Harbor. He has also served as mentor for the Benton Harbor Area Schools. He was nominated by Bruce Conybeare, President, Berrien County Bar Association, with supporting letters from John Cummiskey, Jon Muth, and the Michigan State Bar Foundation, Access to Justice Task Force, Open Justice Commission, and Judge Victoria Roberts.

The Wolverine Bar Association nominated Judge Victoria Roberts for the Roberts P. Hudson Award. President Clinton appointed Judge Roberts to the federal bench in 1998 with the unanimous advice and consent of the Senate.

Before serving on the bench she was in private practice as managing partner for the Detroit firm of Goodman, Eden, Millender and Bedrosian. She also served as Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of Michigan. From 1996 to 1997 she was the 62nd president of the State Bar of Michigan, becoming the first African-American woman to hold that position.

Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer selected Roberts as General Counsel for his transition team following his 1993 election to office. Not only did Ms. Roberts provide legal advice personally for the transition team; she coordinated the efforts of 12 law firms, which provided voluntary legal services to the team.

An author and teacher, Roberts has served as a faculty member for the Institute for Continuing Legal Education and the Trial Advocacy Workshop of the United States District Court - Eastern District of Michigan. She also served as a mediator for the Wayne County Circuit Court and as a member of the Attorney Discipline Board's Wayne County Hearing Panel.

Judge Roberts has provided legal services on a pro bono basis to the Big Brothers/Big Sisters organization, and has served on its Board of Directors. She is a past chair of the Board of Directors of the Fair Housing Center of Metropolitan Detroit.

Judge Roberts has been described as a "visionary." When she was State Bar President, she created the State Bar Task Force on Race/Ethnic and Gender Issues in the Courts and Legal Profession. She also actively encouraged attorneys to offer pro bono legal services.