Newsmaker: Ben Bratman

Noteworthy: Winner of the Eric W. Springer Professionalism Award, given annually to an attorney or judge of “sterling character” and “unquestioned integrity” who upholds the “highest standards of the legal profession,” according to the W. Edward Sell Inn of Court in Pittsburgh.

Age: 50

Residence: Mt. Lebanon

Occupation: Teaches legal writing at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.

Background: Practiced law at Pursley, Howell, Lowery & Meeks in Atlanta before beginning his teaching career at the State University of New York at Buffalo Law School in 1999. He joined the Pitt law faculty in 2002 and was a visiting professor of lawyering skills at the University of the Pacific's McGeorge School of Law in 2011-12. He counsels students on bar exam preparation and serves as Pitt's Moot Court Board faculty adviser.

Education: Bachelor's degree in history from the University of Washington in 1987; law degree from Vanderbilt University in 1993.

Quote: “I particularly appreciate this award because it recognizes two things I prioritize: Bridging the gap between the law-practicing world and legal education and also developing professionalism for young lawyers and especially law students who are about to enter the profession.”