PLAN Board Treasurer and Erie County lawyer Thomas A. Tupitza received an Everyday Leader Award from the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) at noon on Thursday, June 7, during a meeting of the Erie County Bar Association at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center. Tupitza is president of Knox McLaughlin Gornall and Sennett P.C., Erie.

"Tom invests significant energies into bettering his community and his profession," said PBA President Kenneth J. Horoho Jr., who will present the award to Tupitza. "His exemplary devotion to voluntary service has made and continues to make a positive difference in northwestern Pennsylvania and well beyond." A life-long Erie resident, Tupitza participates in numerous civic, charitable and religious organizations.

Tupitza currently serves in leadership roles for two organizations dedicated to providing free legal representation to low-income people. In addition to serving as the treasurer of the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network board of directors, he serves on the board of directors for Northwestern Legal Services.

Tupitza is a member of the advisory board for The Nonprofit Partnership, a community building project of The Erie Community Foundation. He was instrumental in the creation of the organization's The Nonprofit Pro Bono Project: Professionals Helping Nonprofits, which matches eligible organizations with local lawyers and certified public accountants who are providing free consultation and education to the nonprofit community.

Additionally, Tupitza serves on the boards of the Erie Area Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Warner Theatre Presentation Trust. He also is a member of the Rotary Club of Erie.

In support of his profession, he has served on several PBA committees, including the Delivery of Legal Services to the Needy Committee from 1998 to 2001. He is a fellow of the Pennsylvania Bar Foundation. From 2003 to 2005, Tupitza served on the board of the Erie County Bar Association. He is a member and past president of the Pennsylvania Association of Bond Lawyers, National Association of Bond Lawyers and American Health Lawyers Association.

Tupitza is past president of the American Baptist Churches of Pennsylvania and Delaware, and he is a moderator, deacon, Sunday school teacher and substitute pianist at Wayne Park Baptist Church, Erie.

An honors graduate of Westminster College in New Wilmington, Tupitza currently serves on its board of trustees and previously served as president of the college's Alumni Council. He received the Westminster College Alumni Citation in 1998. Tupitza also graduated with honors from Harvard Law School.

Tupitza and his wife, Carol, have been married for 20 years and have a sixteen year-old son, Adam.

"The Everyday Leader Award is given to individuals who go above and beyond, sharing their time and talent to help and support others," said Horoho. "They work hard each and every day performing good works, not for personal gain or recognition, but for the right reasons - to improve the places they call home and to better Pennsylvania's legal system. Tom Tupitza is one of these 'everyday leaders' and is deserving of this award which is presented in gratitude of his contributions to native Erie and throughout Pennsylvania."

The Webby Awards, the leading international honor for the Web, has named LawHelp.org, the parent site of PALawHELP.org, the Best Law Website of 2007.

LawHelp.org is a portal that provides low and moderate income individuals with state-based legal referrals, know-your-rights information and a variety of self-help tools. It was created and is managed by Pro Bono Net, the nonprofit leader in technology solutions to expand access to justice for those in need.

“We are honored to be singled out as creators of the top legal website, but share this award with the more than 200 legal aid, pro bono, bar and court-based access to justice partners around the county with whom we have collaborated on LawHelp,” says Mark O’Brien, Executive Director of Pro Bono Net.