Hannah Best is a well known, well respected, lawyer who has the reputation of being one of the toughest and hardest working lawyers in her field.
The award Hannah received in the latter part of 2007 is the Charlie Driscoll Award. The award is named after criminal defense lawyer Charlie Driscoll, who became a Catholic priest at 65, and who also co-founded Dismas House. The award is given to a supporter in the legal community whose work ethics symbolizes advocacy, compassion and is representative of long and exemplary service to the New Mexico Bar and the community.
Hannah becomes the 12th recipient of the award and states that the reason the award is extra special for her is because for many years Charlie Driscoll, the founder of Dismas House of whom the award is named, had been a close friend and mentor of hers. They formed a bond in fighting injustice during the civil rights movement of the 60's, a most turbulent time in the history of America.
Dismas House New Mexico is a transitional living program in Albuquerque for newly freed prison inmates. Hannah says, “As long as I have known Charlie, he always believed in humanity and in giving people a second chance when they have changed their lives. When Charlie became a priest, he put these beliefs into action and that is what Dismas House is all about, giving people another chance at life after they have paid for their crime.”
When Hannah moved to Albuquerque, she says at the moment she entered the city, she knew she had found a home. Not only was she captivated by the aesthetic beauty of the city's surroundings, but she would eventually be enamored with the seamless blending of the different cultures in New Mexico.
Hannah was a working housewife who always worked in positions to help individuals with the fewest resources. She worked as a child welfare worker, social worker and was a consultant for the Zuni tribe in McKinley County. At the age of 40, Hannah entered law school at the University Of New Mexico School Of Law.
She graduated in 1977 and went to work for the Indian Law Center; a job she says was very rewarding. When her contract expired, Hannah went into private practice in 1981, specializing in employment law, civil rights and work-related discrimination cases.
Hannah's character and expectations for her life have been driven through strong individuals in her life who left impactful examples to serve as blueprints for her life's encounters. You will find the real Hannah Best anchored in these comments made by her mentors that have become treasures in her life. "My father always said that giving back is a way to feed your soul, and Charlie would say, that when you're in the fight for justice you stay the course, you don't ever back down, you don't compromise, and you stay in their face and fight to the end. My belief in these comments helps to mold who I am.”
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