KU News Release

KU law student to receive 2007 Paul E. Wilson Advocacy Award on Nov. 30

LAWRENCE — A third-year law student at the University of Kansas who decided to study law in midlife has received the 2007 Paul E. Wilson Advocacy Award by the Kansas Association for Justice.

Earl R. Richardson of Lawrence will receive the award Friday, Nov. 30, during the association’s annual conference at Westin Crown Center in Kansas City, Mo. The annual award recognizes a Paul E. Wilson Defender Project intern who has demonstrated outstanding advocacy for a client’s legal claim as well as compassion and respect for the client.

Students in the Defender Project represent state and federal prisoners in appellate and post-conviction litigation. The Kansas Association for Justice is a statewide association of attorneys who represent consumers. The group works to protect the safety and rights of workers and families in Kansas.

In addition to his law classes, Richardson, who has had an award-winning career as a photojournalist and freelance photographer, is working as a law clerk for the Lawrence firm of Thompson Ramsdell & Qualseth, P.A. He plans to continue with the firm following graduation next year.

Richardson is receiving the award for the work he did as a Defender Project intern in the 2006-07 academic year. He worked with seven to eight clients, all prisoners. His work included appealing minor charges in other states for clients facing additional jail time. “The Defender effort works toward helping a prisoner who has turned his life around to get on with his life,” Richardson said.

During fall 2006, Richardson worked on a number of issues, including writing a direct appeal for a client to the Kansas Court of Appeals and helping prepare an amicus (friend of the court) brief for the Kansas Supreme Court. The direct appeal was argued this October but the outcome has not been decided and, Richardson cautioned, may not involve any dramatic changes for his client. In spring 2007, Richardson worked almost exclusively on preparing a prisoner’s appeal of a state habeas (a writ ordering a person in custody to be brought before a court) petition.

Richardson, who earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism at KU in 1983, said for him the common ground between law and photojournalism is working with people and telling their stories. “As a lawyer I am trying to tell a story in a different way — I am trying to get the most positive outcome for my client.”

His interest in studying law came partly as a personal challenge and partly as a desire for a new career. As an undergraduate and in high school, Richardson recalled his interest in studying was minimal. By age 44, Richardson said he was curious not only about law but also about his stamina for being a serious student. His grades in law school have surpassed his undergraduate grade record.

His daughter, Aimee, who will graduate from KU’s law school alongside her father in May, tells her father that he is too serious about studying. Richardson counters, “She entered law school immediately after finishing a bachelor’s degree. I had been out of school for 22 to 23 years.”

He and his wife, Teresa, have three daughters, two with KU degrees including Aimee; Kelsey is a KU freshman; and Mallory Martinez is a first-year medical student at KU. Mallory is married to Alan Martinez, who will also graduate from KU in May and will enter the KU School of Medicine in July.

Richardson is the son of Mrs. Glen J. Richardson of Lawrence and is a Lawrence High School graduate.

-30-

The University of Kansas is a major comprehensive research and teaching university. University Relations is the central public relations office for KU's Lawrence campus.