Robert M. Spire Award
The Robert M. Spire award is presented annually to a Nebraska lawyer who has demonstrated outstanding commitment to pro bono service for the poor, as was the hallmark of Robert M. Spire. The recipient is a lawyer who has achieved the highest standards of competence, ethics, and professionalism, and who protects and promotes the administration of and access to justice. The 2026 award winner was Kevin Ruser. Kevin's bio can be read below. Past Robert M. Spire Award winners are listed at the bottom of the page.
Kevin Ruser
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Professor Kevin Ruser of the University of Nebraska College of Law is the 2026 recipient of the Robert M. Spire Award. For more than four decades, Professor Ruser has advanced the ideals this award honors—service, integrity, and a steadfast commitment to making justice accessible to all Nebraskans.
Since joining the faculty in 1985, he has shaped experiential learning and clinical practice so that law students engage in meaningful community service while developing as ethical, effective advocates. As longtime Director of the Immigration Clinic, Professor Ruser has guided generations of students in direct representation for low-income clients on matters including family-based immigration, deportation defense, and asylum—work that has filled a profound gap in legal services across the state. More recently, he launched the Debtor Defense Clinic, helping individuals navigate debt collection and consumer legal disputes that they would otherwise face without counsel. Professor Ruser’s impact extends beyond the classroom through practical resources for Nebraska practitioners and service on the Nebraska Supreme Court’s Access to Justice Commission. His teaching, mentorship, and pro bono leadership reflect a deep belief that lawyers must partner with communities and uphold the promise of justice for everyone. |
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Past Robert M. Spire Award Winners
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2025 Dave Ernst
2024 Judith M. Schweikart 2023 Amy Van Horne 2022 James E. Gordon (posthumously) 2021 Ryan P. Sullivan 2020 Hon. Teresa Luther 2019 Harold Rock (posthumously) 2018 James A. Cada 2017 Jane Schoenike (posthumously) 2016 Hon. Stephen M. Swartz, ret. 2015 Avis Andrews 2014 James H. Truell 2013 Adam R. Tripp 2012 Tara L. Gardner 2011 Ann S. Moshman Vertical Divider
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2010 Susan M. Koenig
2009 Alan D. Martin 2008 Diane B Metz 2007 Paul M. Conley 2006 Charles R. Maser 2005 Catherine Mahern 2004 Ralph E. Peppard 2003 John V. Morgan 2002 D. C. “Woody” Bradford 2001 Charles A. Nye Stephen A. Scherr 2000 Mary L. Wilson 1999 Mark R. Widell 1998 Martin J. Kushner (posthumously) Vertical Divider
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1997 Gail S. Perry
1996 Connie Kearney Robert F. Martin 1995 Paul W. Rea 1994 The Marks & Clare Firm 1993 Michael D. Matejka 1992 J. Marvin Weems 1991 Earl D. Ahlschwede 1990 Clark J. Grant 1989 James W. Crampton 1988 James R. Nisley 1987 Paul W. Korslund 1986 David Perlman 1985 John W. Ballew Jr. Vertical Divider
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