MSBA Senior Lawyers and Judges Section Announce 2024 Mentor Awards

The MSBA/HCBA/RCBA Senior Lawyers and Judges Section was formed to meet the needs of retired lawyers and judges. Our members knew they had much to offer the profession via their collective wisdom and that of hundreds of attorneys across the state It was clear that mentoring described what we wanted to help our members do. So, we planned a public celebration of the mentor lawyers in our community to bear witness to the importance of mentoring and let other lawyers in the community see how they can help another lawyer—new or experienced.

Our inaugural mentor awards for 2024 go to two lawyers chosen from an outstanding group: Brian Johnson and Larry McDonough. 

Brian Johnson

Johnson, one of the founders of Nilan Johnson and  Lewis, is a well-recognized trial lawyer, but he was nominated  for other skills. In the words of his nomination, “Brian volunteers to help prepare younger lawyers and paralegals, teaching trial fundamentals, how to effectively market and to provide superior client service. Brian humanizes private practice rather than making it an endeavor from which we want to flee.”

Larry McDonough

McDonough is well known through his involvement in and commitment to legal services. He has been a legal services and pro bono civil litigation attorney since 1983. One lawyer wrote of him, “His dedication to being accessible, regardless of the situation or the lawyer’s experience level, speaks volumes about his genuine commitment to the legal community and his belief in fostering the growth of every individual he mentors. But my favorite thing about Larry is that he meets and mentors others with such a level of care and interest that every time his name comes up in a conversation between lawyers (which is often!), I often see it  accompanied by big smiles to all in the conversation.”

An award ceremony is scheduled for November 20. More information. 

About this Section:  MSBA attorney members who have been admitted to practice before the Minnesota Supreme Court for 37 years or more or are over 62 years old are auto-enrolled in the Section.