Meet the Winners
2024
Janet Varnell
2023
Beth Terrell
2022
Karen Meyers
2021
David Sugerman
2019
Elizabeth Cabraser
Previous Vern Countryman Award Winners
- Karen Brown (2018)
- David Humphreys and Luke Wallace (2017)
- Mark Chavez (2016)
- Lorray Brown (2015)
- Dale Irwin (2014)
- Richard N. Feferman (2013)
- David Leen (2012)
- Carlene McNulty (2011)
- O. Randolph Bragg (2010)
- Michael D. Donovan (2009)
- Bernard E. Brown (2008)
- Mallam J. Maynard (2007)
- F. Paul Bland, Jr. (2006)
- Irv Ackelsberg (2005)
- Gail Hillebrand (2004)
- Dan Hedges (2003)
- Joanne Faulkner (2002)
- Lynn Drysdale (2001)
- Richard Rubin (2000)
- Kathleen Keest (1999)
- Alan Alop (1998)
- David Ramp (1997)
- Elizabeth Imholz (1996)
- James Sturdevant (1995)
- Patricia Sturdevant (1995)
- Michael Ferry (1994)
- William Brennan (1993)
- Carolyn Carter (1992)
- Margot Freeman Saunders (1991)
- Henry Sommer (1990)
About Vern Countryman
Vern Countryman (1917-1999) was a pioneering legal scholar whose work helped transform bankruptcy and commercial law into tools for economic justice. At a time when the legal system prioritized creditors, Countryman reframed bankruptcy as a necessary remedy for people facing financial hardship, not a moral failing. His scholarship – especially on debtors’ and creditors’ rights – laid the groundwork for modern consumer protection law, influencing generations of attorneys and advocates. He also sounded early warnings about the dangers of fringe financial services and predatory lending, always grounding his legal analysis in a deep concern for the lived realities of low-income consumers.
As a founding trustee of the National Consumer Law Center (NCLC), Countryman helped shape a national movement to protect vulnerable consumers through legal advocacy, policy reform, and public education. In recognition of his enduring influence, NCLC created the annual Vern Countryman Award to recognize an attorney whose career accomplishments reflect his fearless pursuit of justice and unwavering commitment to advocating for those at greatest risk of being abused, deceived, discriminated against, or left behind.
Nomination Requirements and Selection Timeline
The Vern Countryman Award: Nominate a Leader in Consumer Justice
Call for Nominations: Countryman Award nominations are accepted annually from January 1 through June 30. We invite colleagues, peers, and advocates to help us recognize an attorney whose work has transformed the field of consumer law through litigation, advocacy, education, and/or leadership.
Nomination Requirements: To nominate a candidate, please submit the following materials to [email protected]:
- A nomination letter describing the nominee’s qualifications, contributions, and career impact
- The nominee’s resume or CV
- Up to three additional letters of support from individuals familiar with the nominee’s work
- Any relevant materials that illustrate the nominee’s accomplishments (e.g., articles, decisions, media coverage)
Nominations remain active and under consideration for three years including the year of submission, ensuring a thoughtful and thorough selection process.
Selection & Presentation: The recipient of the Vern Countryman Award is chosen by NCLC’s Executive Committee and the award is presented each fall during the annual Consumer Rights Litigation Conference (CRLC), the largest annual convening of the nation’s entire consumer law community.
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