Becker Awards go to two at Legal Aid

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: (Minneapolis, Minn.)— The Minnesota State Bar Association announced it will
be honoring Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid’s Taryn Trujillo Risom and Cindy Jarvi with Becker awards in recognition of outstanding service to low-income and disadvantaged clients.

Attorney Trujillo Risom, in the words of the MSBA, will be receiving the Becker Emerging Leader award for “demonstrated commitment to provision of zealous and skilled legal representation.” From her nomination letter: “Taryn assists clients [at Children’s Hospital] while they are often experiencing dual crises. Her breadth of legal knowledge remarkable, and she is able to assist families across multiple legal needs with compassionate clarity and responsive guidance. Steady and calm, Taryn is impressive beyond measure.”

Jarvi, who passed away unexpectedly in November of 2022, is being honored posthumously as recipient of the Becker Legacy of Excellence award. MSBA noted the award reflects her “lifetime of unique and outstanding service to our profession and community.” In her 24 years as a Legal Advocate with MMLA’s Minnesota Disability Law Center, Jarvi was known by colleagues for her fierce commitment to children and families. “She never wavered. She clearly and thoughtfully demanded legal protections for children and youth who needed society’s promises for non-discrimination, equitable services and equal access to education.”

The awards, named for U.S. Magistrate Bernard P. Becker, who was also a former leader at Legal Aid, will be presented to Trujillo Risom and to Jarvi’s family, June 29, at the MSBA assembly meeting.

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Media contact:
Lisa Ramirez | 612.746.3641
Communications Manager
Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid
lramirez@mylegalaid.org