The name of the award honors founding OWLS president Katherine O’Neil’s steadfast dedication and long-term volunteer service to organizations which promote women in the legal profession. The inaugural award was presented to Katherine H. O’Neil at the Oregon Women Lawyers 20th anniversary celebration, September 25, 2009.
The OWLS Board of Directors selects recipients of the Katherine H. Volunteer Service Award. Award recipients are selected based on 8 cumulative years of service with the OWLS board, an OWLS chapter, or an OWLS committee, the Oregon Women Lawyers Foundation, the National Conference of Women’s Bar Associations, the National Association of Women Lawyers, or the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession.
Here are past recipients of the Katherine H. O’Neil Volunteer Service Award:
Katherine H. O’Neil, 2009
Terri Kraemer, 2011
Phylis Myles, 2012
Laurie Craghead, 2013
Kathryn Root, 2014
Heather Weigler, 2015
Cristina Sanz, 2019
Judge Angela Lucero, 2023
Justice Aruna Masih, 2024
The nominations for the 2025 Katherine H. O’Neil Volunteer Service Award have closed. Thank you to those who submitted a nomination. Please join us in Eugene on Friday, October 3 for the Fall Reception, where we will honor the award recipient. More details on the full Fall Conference schedule can be found here.
