Nina C. Gardner, the executive director of the New Hampshire Judicial Council, will receive the Frank Rowe Kenison Award at the NH Bar Foundation's Annual Dinner on May 26^th. The Kenison Award is given each year in recognition of the recipient's outstanding contributions to strengthening the justice system in New Hampshire.

Gardner has served as executive director of the Judicial Council since December 1988. The Judicial Council, created by statute in 1945, includes members from every branch of government, takes a broad overview of the administration of justice, and serves as a catalyst for continued improvement. The Council plays both a reactive role-assisting the General Court in reviewing proposed legislation affecting the administration of justice-and a proactive role, conducting studies, initiating legislation, and providing orientation on justice issues.

Before her work on the NH Judicial Council, Gardner spent many years in state government. From 1972 to 1979, she was director of research for the New Hampshire Legislature in the Office of Legislative Services. During that time, she developed a legislative orientation program for new legislators and coordinated a seven-college intern program for both the House and Senate. In 1988,Gardner served as a consultant to Speaker of the House Douglas Scamman, authoring a study on national and statewide trends in affordable housing. While she was working at the State House, the position of Executive Director of the Judicial Council opened and Gardner was hired.

As the Judicial Council's executive director, Garnder has superintended the expansion of indigent defense services statewide, doubling the size of the Public Defender and Contract Attorney programs to handle an ever-increasing criminal caseload. She has also worked to establish a public/private partnership with CASA of New Hampshire, a program in which state funds are matched with private dollars to enable the assignment of abuse and neglect cases to dedicated volunteers.

In 1993, Gardner began working with Representative Liz Hager and other legislators interested in seeking state-funded support for New Hampshire Legal Assistance. After several tries, the Judicial Council finally succeeded in persuading the legislature to establish a pass-through grant to NHLA, overseen by the Judicial Council.

Under the direction of the chairperson of the Council and with assistance from the public members of the Council, Gardner helped direct a study of how the courts handled family matters which resulted in the enactment, in 1995, of the Family Court [Division] Pilot Project.

By virtue of her position, Gardner became one of the original members of the Guardian Ad Litem Board established by the Legislature in 2000. In 2003, she was named Chair of the Task Force on Family Law by Governor Shaheen. The group published the results of its two-year study in November 2004 (a condensed version of that report is published in the Winter issue of the New Hampshire Bar Journal). Gardner and other members of the Task Force have been shepherding six major pieces of legislation resulting from the report's recommendations through the 2005 legislative session.

At the invitation by the NH Bar Association, she sits as an ex officio member of the Delivery of Legal Services Committee of the NH Bar and of the Committee on Cooperation with the Courts. And last year, Gardner was invited by NH Supreme Court Chief Justice John Broderick to participate in the Supreme Court Task Force on Justice System Needs and Priorities.

John E. Tobin, Jr., the executive director of New Hampshire Legal Assistance and a member of the Kenison Award nominating committee, said that Nina epitomizes what the Kenison Award represents. "She has devoted more than two decades to strengthening the administration of justice in New Hampshire. She has been a champion of both the Public Defender program and of New Hampshire Legal Assistance in the Legislature," said Tobin.

"It is an honor to walk through the halls of the Legislature at her side, and it is inspiring to see her tirelessly, passionately, and persuasively advocate for equal justice," he went on.

The Honorable James E. Duggan, associate justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court and another member of the nominating committee, said: "As an advocate in the legislature for the public defender, legal services and children, Nina's energy, passion and commitment have made her effective and persuasive.  Over the years, Nina has established close working relationships with legislators who have diverse backgrounds, philosophies and interests.  Her effectiveness reflects the high regard that a wide range of legislators have for her."

Angela Yanski is the Development Director of the New Hampshire Bar Foundation.

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