Bar Members Recognized For Pro Bono Service

The York County Bar Association hosted our Annual Recognition Dinner on Tuesday, June 21 to honor those members of the Bar who have served us so competently during the past two years and recognize those members who have stepped forward to continue the work of the Association and Foundation. Congratulations and thank you to all our members!

Congratulations to our outgoing Association Board Members

• Anne E. Zerbe - Director and Past President
• Brian P. Strong - Director and Past President
• Taylor L. Bare - Young Lawyer Section Chair
• Christopher A. Ferro - Immediate Past President

Congratulations to our outgoing Foundation Board Members

• Amy L. Nelson - Director and Past President
• Edward A. "Ned" Stankoski - Director and Past President
• The Honorable John C. Uhler - Immediate Past President

PBA Pro Bono Partner Award

The Belmont Theatre, has kindly hosted our “Bar Stools” event for over two decades. This important Foundation fundraising event would not happen without The Belmont Theatre. Beginning in 1999 and generally held every other year, the “Bar Stools” production proceeds go directly to our charitable arm, the York County Bar Foundation. The Belmont Theatre provides the location and the infrastructure that allows the fundraising event to be a success. Since the first show in 1999, the Bar Stools has netted nearly $205,000 to benefit The Belmont and support the charitable work of the York County Bar Foundation. Most recently, The Bar Stools Go Back to the Future, was performed on April 7th, 8th, and 9th at the Belmont Theatre. It was a huge success- all three nights were nearly sold out.

PBA Pro Bono Individual Award

Carolyn Sexton is being recognized for the PBA Bro Bono Partner Award in recognition of her distinguished career and dedication to providing outstanding legal assistance through her service to the legal aid community. Carolyn began providing assistance to the legal aid community in 1974 and provided over 47 dedicated years to MidPenn Legal Services before her retirement in 2021. A renowned legal researcher, her skills benefited many of MidPenn’s clients. Carolyn has helped hundreds of people receive benefits they were entitled to and assisted hundreds more in resolving housing issues. Carolyn’s work has resulted in system wide change that helped not just MidPenn’s clients but so many others who benefit from her advocacy.

PBA Civil Legal Aid Attorney of the Year Award

E. John Mitton Jr., Esq. deserves the PBA Civil Legal Aid Attorney of the Year Award in recognition of his distinguished career and dedication to providing outstanding legal representation through his service to the legal aid community. Attorney Mitton began his civil legal aid work in 1984 and provided 37 dedicated years to MidPenn Legal Services before his retirement in 2021. An experienced attorney, John shared quality legal assistance to low-income people in York County in a variety of legal areas, including social security disability, protections from abuse, mortgage foreclosure and housing. Most of John’s work was in helping individuals and families maintain their housing.

John would go beyond just the legal work of his clients. You could find John speaking to family members of his clients to get them to assist in cleaning the home of a hoarder, recruiting other staff along with himself to help organize a client’s home so the client could pass their inspection later that month or giving a client advice about what they needed to be earning if they wanted a loan modification and then calling fellow colleagues to work with the person once they became over our income qualifications on this same case. Colleagues and clients commented on his professionalism, congeniality, and dedication.

YCBA Individual Pro Bono Awards

Brandy G. Hoke, Esq. currently works as an attorney at Ream, Carr, Markey, Woloshin & Hunter focusing on the areas of criminal defense law and family law. She is a graduate of York College of Pennsylvania and Widener Commonwealth Law School. She is being recognized this evening for her support of the pro bono program, specifically for taking numerous Protection from Abuse referrals. Attorney Hoke has logged many hours of pro bono service after accepting PFA hearings during which she provided invaluable legal counsel.

Left: Brandy Hoke, Right: Hunter Schenck

Hunter B. Schenck, Esq. currently works as an attorney at CGA Law, focusing on the areas of litigation and real estate. Attorney Schenck is a graduate of Penn State University and Penn State Dickinson School of Law. She is being recognized this evening for providing many hours of pro bono services. She represented clients that were direct referrals, offering to generously provide them with access to her skilled legal counsel. 

YCBA Law Firm Awards

CGA Law Firm is comprised of many YCBA member attorneys. The firm focuses on bankruptcy and debt restructuring, business and corporate law, employment law, estate planning and administration, family law, government and education law, litigation or alternative dispute resolution and real estate law. They are being recognized this evening for making pro bono service a priority within the firm. CGA has actively participated in pro bono by representing clients and financially supporting our pro bono program to further assist legal services.