The Gold Medal is awarded each year to a lawyer "whose qualifications include outstanding legal accomplishments, an active interest in and positive influence upon the profession, and constructive contributions in civic and community matters."  During its review of candidates, the Committee communicates with whomever will be President of the Association when the award is presented. The Committee submits its recommendations for the recipient of the Gold Medal to the Executive Committee, which makes the final selection. 

Contact: Kim McHargue

Date Presented: January 30, 2020 during the Gala Dinner.

Award Criteria: Distinguished service in the law.

Prize Awarded: Gold Medal

Committee Roster 

Past Recipients of the Gold Medal:
2020 Hon. Elena Kagan
2019 Janet DiFiore
2018 Roberta A. Kaplan
2017 Mary Jo White
2016 Evan Davis
2015 Hon. Juanita Bing Newton
2014 Louis A. Craco
2013 Peter Neufeld and Barry Scheck 
2012 Eric Holder 
2011 Robert M. Morgenthau 
2010 S. Hazard Gillespie 
2009 Frederick A.O. Schwarz 
2008 Sandra Day O’Connor 
2007 Alexander Forger 
2006 John R. Dunne 
2005 Helaine M. Barnett 
2004 Richard J. Bartlett 
2003 Howard A. Levine 
2002 Joseph M. McLaughlin 
2001 Joseph W. Bellacosa 
2000 Stewart F. Hancock, Jr. and Richard D. Simons 
1999 Robert MacCrate 
1998 Jack B. Weinstein 
1997 Judith S. Kaye 
1996 John D. Feerick 
1995 Ruth Bader Ginsburg 
1994 An award was not presented in 1994 
1993 William J. Brennan, Jr. 
1992 James L. Oakes 
1991 Sol Wachtler 
1990 Wilfred Feinberg 
1989 Lewis F. Powell, Jr. 
1988 Constance Baker Motley 
1987 Robert B. McKay 
1986 Edward Weinfeld 
1985 Lawrence H. Cooke and Hugh R. Jones 
1984 Potter Stewart 
1983 Domenick L. Gabrielli 
1982 William Hughes Mulligan 
1981 Sol M. Linowitz 
1980 Cyrus R. Vance 
1979 Charles D. Breitel 
1978 Norris Darrell 
1977 Francis T.P. Plimpton 
1976 Thurgood Marshall 
1975 Kenneth B. Keating 
1974 Francis Bergan 
1973 Henry J. Friendly 
1972 Herbert Brownell 
1971 Stanley H. Fuld 
1970 Bernard Botein 
1969 J. Edward Lumbard 
1968 Bruce Bromley 
1967 Harold R. Medina 
1966 John Marshall Harland 
1965 Whitney North Seymour 
1964 Charles S. Desmond 
1963 John J. McCloy 
1962 Arthur Dean 
1961 Felix Frankfurter 
1960 Learned Hand 
1959 John Foster Dulles 
1958 Edmund H. Lewis 
1957 John Lord O’Brien 
1956 Harrison Tweed 
1955 Arthur T. Vanderbilt 
1954 Robert H. Jackson 
1953 John W. Davis 
1952 Nathan L. Miller