The Mel Award

In 2000 - 2001 when Gary Gober was President of the Belli Society, he initiated an award in the spirit of Mel Belli to be given to an attorney who was innovative and who made a significant contribution to the practice of trial law in America. Later, a very surprised Gary Gober was presented this “Mel” Award by Ronnie Berke in The Great Gallery at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington, on July 14, 2006.

“I conceived the Mel Award some years ago as a way of honoring one attorney from around the country who, by virtue of his or her creative advocacy, spirit of innovation and paradigm-shifting techniques in the presentation of evidence, best exemplified Mel Belli’s tremendous contribution to the work we do as trial lawyers. Thus the Mel pays tribute to the recipient and keeps alive the legacy of the greatest personal injury lawyer of the Twentieth Century.” – Gary Gober

Recipients of the Mel Award

Year Recipient
2024 Patrick Malone
2023 Marion Munley
2022 Joseph Fried
2021 Todd J. O'Malley
2020 Mel C. Orchard III
2019 Karen Koehler
2018 Mary Beth Ramey and Richard Hailey
2017 Steven Gursten
2016 Adam Malone
2015 Michael Maggiano
2014 Sheldon Miller
2013 John Hill
2012 J.D Lee
2011 Randy Scarlett and Betty Thompson
2010 Howard L. Nations
2009 Tommy Malone
Georgia Super Lawyers 2010
2008 Linda Miller Atkinson
2007 Frank Branson
2006 Gary Gober
2005 Gary Pillersdorf
2004 Henry Weil
2003 Stanley Preiser
2002 Ira Leesfield
2001 Janice Kim
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