The Federal Bar Association is now accepting nominations for the Peter J. Mazza Outstanding Federal Lawyer Award. The FBA will present this new nationwide award at its Annual Meeting & Convention in September 2021 in Miami, Florida.
The San Diego Chapter was deeply saddened by the loss of former Chapter President Peter Mazza and has worked with the FBA to create this national award in his honor. This award will help preserve the legacy of Peter Mazza for decades to come as federal lawyers all over the country will learn of his legacy and public service through this annual award. The San Diego Chapter will soon begin fundraising to establish a memorial fund that provides the Peter J. Mazza Outstanding Federal Lawyer Award recipient with a cash award that they will donate to a charitable organization that promotes the interest of justice. If you would like to donate to this fund in Peter’s memory, please follow this link.
The Peter J. Mazza Outstanding Federal Lawyer Award recognizes exemplary federal lawyers who have dedicated a significant portion of their career to federal service with high standards of professional achievement and outstanding performance.
In addition to being a past president of the San Diego Chapter, Peter Mazza was the recipient of the FBA's Robyn J. Spalter Outstanding Achievement Award and the Younger Federal Lawyer Award. In 2020, when Peter sadly passed away at the age of 42, he was the First Assistant in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California, second only to the U.S. Attorney. The award is presented as a memorial to the outstanding, inspirational, and selfless leadership Peter demonstrated throughout his life, both professionally and in his community service.
You can learn more about Peter Mazza's leadership and accomplishments in a tribute Katie Parker authored for the Chapter here, where she shares that in "his short but stellar career, Pete had already become a San Diego legal legend and a respected leader in the broader community."