AG’s Top Honors for DOJ Employees and Allies

Washington, D.C. – In a ceremony held at DAR Constitution Hall, Attorney General Eric Holder presented the Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service, the department’s highest honor, to a team of DOJ employees responsible for implementing the landmark U.S. v. Windsor decision.

Holder praised the team for their work in striking down Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act, which discriminated against same-sex couples in over 1,000 federal laws. The team’s efforts ensured that committed and loving couples throughout the country would receive equal treatment by the government regardless of their sexual orientation.

The recipients of the Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service include Chief of Staff and Counselor to the Assistant Attorney General Jonathan F. Olin; Senior Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General Natalia T. Sorgente; Counsels to the Assistant Attorney General James A. Cadogan, James C. Cox, Helen L. Gilbert, and Joshua I. Wilkenfeld; and many others.

Holder also recognized the outstanding work of 10 individuals outside of the DOJ, including Deputy Assistant Attorney General Pamela Karlan and Appellate Section Trial Attorney Holly A. Thomas.

“With this important event, we come together to honor some of our nation’s most distinguished, dedicated, and deserving public servants,” Holder said. “The hard work and impressive achievements of these 278 award recipients have inspired their colleagues at every level of the DOJ – including me.”

The 62nd Annual Attorney General’s Awards Ceremony is a testament to the DOJ’s commitment to upholding the law and protecting the American people. The honorees are a shining example of the department’s dedication to serving the public with integrity and excellence.

The Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service is the department’s highest honor, and it is a fitting recognition of the team’s hard work and dedication to the U.S. v. Windsor implementation.