WJP Founder and CEO Bill Neukom to Receive 2020 ABA Medal

The World Justice Project congratulates Bill Neukom, its founder and CEO, on being awarded the ABA Medal, the American Bar Association’s highest honor. The ABA announced today that he will receive the ABA Medal on Wednesday, July 29 at the American Bar Association Annual Meeting.

"Bill exemplifies the ideal that the ABA Medal should be awarded to someone who has exhibited broad leadership in one's community, in public service, to the practice of law, and in legal research. His vision to begin the World Justice Project in the ABA and to spin it out into a freestanding NGO in 2009 was unprecedented," remarked William C. Hubbard, WJP Board Chair. "Today, the WJP's efforts to build knowledge, generate awareness, and stimulate action to advance the rule of law has resulted in reforms and greater access to justice around the world. This global impact is directly attributable to the visionary and sustained leadership of Bill Neukom."

The ABA Medal recognizes exceptionally distinguished service by a lawyer or lawyers to the cause of American jurisprudence and is given only in years when the ABA Board of Governors determines a nominee has provided exceptional and distinguished service to the law and the legal profession. Among previous recipients are legendary justices of the U.S. Supreme Court, including Oliver Wendell Holmes, Thurgood Marshall, William J. Brennan Jr., Sandra Day O'Connor, Anthony Kennedy, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Other recipients include social justice activist Bryan Stevenson and Watergate Special Prosecutor Leon Jaworski.

"I can think of few leaders of the bench or bar whose service to the cause of jurisprudence has been so longstanding and impactful, spanning a distinguished career in the private sector, philanthropy, and leadership of the bar, academia, and the non-profit public interest sector," said Elizabeth Andersen, WJP Executive Director. "In particular, Bill's vision for the WJP and its Rule of Law Index has produced an incredibly powerful lever of rule of law change throughout the world. I speak for everyone at WJP when I say it is an honor to be part of his remarkable legacy."