News Archives


Enter a word or phrase to search Chase News items.

[2009]  [2008]  [2007]  [2006]  [2005]  

Chase Students, Alumna Win Pro Bono Service Awards
Jessica Craven receives her award from Chase Professor Ljubomir Nacev.
Jessica Craven receives her award from Chase Professor Ljubomir Nacev.

May 18, 2009 - Northern Kentucky Volunteer Lawyers (NKVL) recognized two NKU Chase students and a Chase alumna at their annual 2009 Pro Bono Luncheon on May 14, 2009. Graduating students Kristin M. Sherlin and Jessica L. Craven won the Law Student Award and the Mary Lepper VITA Award respectively. Rita H. Ferguson '85 was awarded Attorney of the Year.

This was the first Mary Lepper VITA award, a scholarship intended to defray the cost of the bar exam review course for an outstanding graduate. Jessica Craven graduated with magna cum laude honors and a certificate in Tax Controversy and Litigation. Jessica donated over 50 hours in community service as a volunteer in the Welcome House and Catholic Social Services VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) sites run by the Northern Kentucky Asset Building Coalition, and NKU Chase project. As a VITA volunteer, Craven helped low income taxpayers file their federal and state tax returns and claim federal and state work and family support payments. Her efforts were part of an overall NKU Chase project that assisted over 2500 taxpayers during the two years Jessica served. Jessica is grateful for her educational opportunities and believes she has "a responsibility to the community to help those who have not been as lucky."

Kristin Sherlin is also a 2009 Chase graduate. She has donated over 70 hours of community service as a volunteer at pro bono clinics and at the Kenton County Department of Public Advocacy, where she completed an externship. Kristin was the summer 2008 Scripps Howard fellow at Legal Aid of the Bluegrass. She is a member of the Chase Public Interest Group and the Phi Alpha Delta fraternity. A recipient of the Kentucky Legal Education Opportunity Scholarship, Kristin wants to "give back to the community that provided her with the opportunity to attend law school" through scholarship support.

Rita Ferguson has accepted seven pro bono referrals during the past two years. She has expanded the NKVL effort into Grant County as well as Pendleton County. This is significant because it is difficult to match prospective clients with attorneys in these counties. She has for the past semester mentored NKU Chase law student Rhonda Stanger, who participates in the Legal Extern Program. Ferguson has served as Assistant County Attorney in Campbell, Kenton and Grant County for almost twenty years and also as Director of the Child Support Office in Kenton County. Her practice, currently in Williamstown, has included civil litigation and representation of the City of Covington.