Washington, DC – The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Office of General Counsel (GC) has been chosen by the American Bar Association as the recipient for its prestigious 2010 Hodson Award.

The Hodson Award recognizes sustained, outstanding performance by a government or public sector law office. Its namesake is a distinguished public servant, the late Major General Kenneth J. Hodson, a former Judge Advocate General of the U.S. Army and a founding member of ABA’s Government and Public Sector Lawyers Division.

Serving in hostile environments around the world, including Afghanistan, Iraq, and Pakistan, attorneys from USAID’s Office of General Counsel work to help local governments and aid groups get the assistance that they need to provide better lives for the people that they serve. GC attorneys often serve in regions impacted by natural disasters, such as Chile, and in places undergoing political and social upheavals. In Zimbabwe, they assisted the agriculture sector by helping a Zimbabwean bank secure U.S. loan guarantees.

Protecting vulnerable Haitian children after the devastating earthquake in January was a priority for GC attorneys. They also helped facilitate U.S. government funding for emergency supplies and heath care in the quake’s aftermath. GC continues to provide legal assistance with issues that Haitians continue to face today, including developing the Haitian textile industry and compliance issues related to debris removal.

The awards will be presented at a reception on August 6 in San Francisco at the JW Marriott Hotel.

For more information about USAID, visit www.usaid.gov.