Several civil legal aid professionals and friends of civil legal aid across Pennsylvania wre recognized for their efforts in support of the clients served by the programs of the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network.  These individuals included Justinian Society member, the Honorable Annette Rizzo of the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County.

Judge Rizzo and the Honorable Darnell Jones (U.S. District Court of Eastern District of PA and former President Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County), were honored for their work relating to the groundbreaking Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Diversion Pilot Program that was implemented in the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County in 2008.

The 2009 Excellence Awards were presented at the annual awards dinner on Tuesday, March 31, 2009, at the Harrisburg Hilton & Towers. The evening's keynote speaker was the Honorable Marjorie O. Rendell, Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.