<p>A charitable affiliate of the Pennsylvania Bar Association has honored an innovative new program at Widener Law that benefits recent graduates and helps to fill an unmet legal need.</p>
<p>The <a href="ipl://256//W10=">law firm incubator project</a>, collaboration between the law school and the Dauphin County Bar Association, also based in Harrisburg, has been recognized with the Pennsylvania Bar Foundation Louis J. Goffman Award. The award honors people or organizations whose commitments to pro bono have enhanced the delivery of legal services to Pennsylvania&rsquo;s poor or disadvantaged, making a critical difference in the lives of those in need of legal representation.</p>
<p>The award was presented at the Pennsylvania Bar Association awards luncheon in Philadelphia.</p>
<p>&ldquo;It was incredibly gratifying to see the incubator project get this recognition,&rdquo; said Interim Dean Robyn Meadows. &ldquo;It is an outstanding example of community collaboration that provides valuable opportunities to our graduates in a way that complements our institutional commitment to public service.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The program kicked off early this year as the first based entirely in Pennsylvania. It provides new legal professionals with Harrisburg office space, computer and printing equipment, training in the work of building a law practice, mentoring and networking support. Rent-free office space is located in the bar association building, which also provides furniture, utilities and services like internet access.</p>
<p>The three inaugural participants are recent Widener Law Commonwealth graduates who, in exchange for their acceptance into the one-year program, agreed to pay for their malpractice insurance and commit to providing 100 hours of pro bono legal work through MidPenn Legal Services, a nonprofit firm that provides free civil legal assistance to low-income families in crisis. Participants are also encouraged to take on &ldquo;low bono&rdquo; clients.</p>
<p>The law school wasn&rsquo;t the only award recipient at the luncheon. Alumna Kimberly K. Moraski received the Michael K. Smith Excellence in Service Award from the Pennsylvania Bar Association Young Lawyers Division. It is given to a young lawyer who, through her exemplary personal and professional conduct, reminds lawyers of their professional and community responsibilities.</p>
<p>Moraski is an associate attorney at The Chartwell Law Offices, LLP in Scranton, Pa. She graduated magna cum laude from Widener Law Commonwealth in 2007.</p>