26th Annual Mary Philbrook Public Interest Award

Presented to Harold B. Garwin, Esquire
President/Executive Director, Community Health Law Project
Wednesday, September 21, 2011 - 6 to 9 P.M.
Camden Campus Center, 326 Penn Street

TIckets are $50 and available by returning this RSVP form.

Student Discount Tickets are $20, on sale daily outside the Clark Commons

To view or print a student information flyer click here.

Program Advertisements are also available from $125 to $500.  Artwork must be submitted no later than September 12th, 2011.  CLICK HERE to download a form for submission.

2012 Mary Philbrook Public Interest Award Nomination Form

To make a nomination, click here.

Nominate a 2011 CLaw graduate or a current 3L student for the Mary Philbrook Student Public Interest Award here.

History of Mary Philbrook

2011 Mary Philbrook Award Recipient

HAROLD B. GARWIN, ESQ.is the founder and Executive Director of the Community Health Law Project (CHLP), New Jersey’s only special legal aid society devoted to serving the needs of low-income people with    disabilities.  The CHLP, which now has eleven offices throughout the state and employs 70 attorneys, advocates and support staff, each year serves more than 4,000 New Jersey residents with disabilities.  A   graduate of the University of Bridgeport, Mr. Garwin received his law degree from Rutgers University School of Law-Camden in 1972.  His entire professional career has been in public interest law. After two years with Union County Legal Services, Mr. Garwin was appointed counsel to the New Jersey State Mental Health Planning Committee.  The    committee’s final report, including a new law for mental health      screening and commitment procedures, was adopted in 1976 and has served as the basis for the development of the state’s   mental health care system.  In 1975, Mr. Garwin was appointed Special Assistant for   Regulatory and Legislative Affairs to the Director of the New Jersey Division of Mental Health and Hospitals, and then in the fall of 1976, organized the CHLP. Between 1990 and 1992, Mr. Garwin served as Deputy Commissioner of the New Jersey State Department of the Public Advocate.  

Mr. Garwin has served on several prestigious boards including the  Mental Health Association of New Jersey (current board member, past board chair), The ARC of New Jersey, Arts Unbound (current Board Chair), and NJ SHARES (current board member, past chair). He has  received a number of awards, including the Governor Richard Hughes Public Interest Award from Seton Hall University Law School, the New Jersey State Psychological Association Citizen of the Year Award, and the Occupational Center of New Jersey’s Corporate Leadership Award. 

Harold Garwin lives in West Orange with his daughter, Stefanie and near his daughter Leigh, and grandson, Drew.  He also has a beautiful new grandson, Devon.