LAET's Deborah Herzel is a "Duncan Award" Honoree
Legal Aid Attorney Honored for
KNOXVILLE – Deborah Herzel has been named this year’s “Duncan Award” honoree in the Professional Category. The annual award, presented by Senior Citizens Information and Referral Service (SCIRS), honors individuals who embody the legacy of the late U.S. Representative John J. Duncan, Sr.
Ms. Herzel, a staff attorney with Legal Aid of East Tennessee, works to address the legal concerns of older adults, such as Medicare and TennCare issues, public benefits, advance care plans for the homebound and institutionalized, and elder consumer issues. She in active in numerous community groups including the Affordable Medicine Options for Seniors Advisory Council, East Tennessee ElderWatch, and Tennessee Vulnerable Adults Coalition, and is a member of the Knoxville and Tennessee Bar Associations.
In a letter to Ms. Herzel, Jan Johnson-Nelson, SCIRS Program Manager, writes, “… you demonstrate a profound commitment in addressing the needs of the seniors in this community and you have gone above and beyond the duties of your position to advocate for those that can’t help themselves.”
“It is a great honor to be selected for the Duncan Award,” said Ms. Herzel. “But there are many wonderful senior service providers in our community and I am fortunate to have the opportunity to work with them.”
Presentation ceremonies for The Duncan Award are Thursday, May 2, 2013 from 4 PM – 6 PM at the O’Connor Senior Center, 611 Winona Street in Knoxville. For more information, call (865) 546-6262.
Legal Aid of East Tennessee’s mission is to ensure justice for elderly, abused, and low-income people by providing a broad scope of civil legal assistance and advocacy. LAET serves eligible persons in 26 counties through offices in Chattanooga, Knoxville, Johnson City, Maryville, and Morristown.