The Awards Committee determines the deadline(s) for submission of award nominations and arranges for the notice of the "call for nominations" to be published in the Michigan Bar Journal, as well as the e-Journal. The notice is prepared as a general press release, and is also sent by direct mail, or e-mail, to local bar associations and special purpose bar associations throughout the State. At the meeting held in April of this year, the Committee reviewed the nominations received, plus the supporting material received to date, and directed the State Bar staff to submit a letter to the nominators inviting them to submit additional material supporting their nomination no later than May 5, 2003, if they chose to do so. The award recommendations will then be made at the Committee's May meeting.

The Committee is also continuing to work on the suggested criteria for the proposed Lifetime Achievement Award, and would hope to finalize that suggested criteria at our May 2003 meeting and thereafter submit that suggestion to the Board of Commissioners for their consideration.