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This year’s Volunteer of the Year Award goes to Michael Leary, who is being recognized for his work on the Board and district ethics committees over the last decade.  Michael has been a public member on the Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board since 2013.  He also serves on the Board’s DEC Committee.  Prior to his Board appointment, he served on the First District Ethics Committee for two years, and the Second District Ethics Committee for three years.  In each of these roles, Michael has been an outstanding public member, and has even recruited his non-lawyer son-in-law as a public member investigator for the First DEC.

For over 30 years, Michael was employed at International Dairy Queen. He worked in several different areas of the company, and retired as Executive Vice President in 2001.  According to the Director, Michael’s business experience was evident in his insightful questioning of witnesses in panel hearings, and his pragmatic approach to whatever matter was before the Board.  Michael’s work ethics is also appreciated.  Even though he had surgery last year, and had some related complications, he remained committed to seeing through his term on the Board.

Since retirement, Michael has worked as an adjunct instructor of management at St. Mary’s University, is a qualified mediator, and has served as a fee arbitrator for the Hennepin and Ramsey Bar Associations.  Michael also has many personal interests, such as serving as Vice President of the Board of Directors of the Minnesota Valley Men’s Chorale and the Bach Society of Minnesota, and as a member and Chairman on his school district’s site councils for 14 years.