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The Louisiana State Bar Association's (LSBA) Leah Hipple McKay Memorial Award for Outstanding Volunteerism was the premier award of the LSBA's Citizen Lawyer Awards program. The award is named in honor of the late Leah Hipple McKay, a member of the LSBA and a deeply committed volunteer. The award was presented to a Louisiana lawyer or judge that made significant long-term volunteer contributions.

The Board of Governors created this award in honor of Leah's considerable civic involvement and invaluable service provided to the LSBA during her husband Michael W. McKay's 2004-05 presidency.

A graduate of Louisiana State University and the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center, Leah practiced law for 12 years before retiring to raise her sons, James Watson McKay and Harris Anthony McKay. Leah regularly volunteered at Trinity Episcopal Day School, Brighton Academy and the Baton Rouge Speech and Hearing Foundation, an organization for which she had served as president. As an active member of the Junior League of Baton Rouge, Leah worked with community projects, League fundraisers and membership, as well as serving on the board of directors as membership vice president, by-law/parliamentarian, legal adviser and board secretary. She also generously gave of her time and talents to the Baton Rouge Area Foundation where she worked with the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts and served on the membership committee.

Click here to view LSBA Board of Governors approval.