Paul J. Ward - 2000
Mr. Ward has served as General Counsel to Arizona State University since 1991. Prior to that, he served as Vice President and General Counsel of the University of South Carolina for 12 years, and was in private practice in Washington, DC. He received his B.S. and his M.A. from Eastern Illinois University and his J.D. from Southern Methodist University.
Mr. Ward’s contributions to the Association have been extraordinary. He was a member of the Board of Directors from 1988-1992, and was elected Second Vice President in 1993, First Vice President in 1994, and President-elect in 1995 before serving as NACUA President in 1996-1997. He participated on nearly every NACUA committee, chairing the Ad-Hoc Committee on Electronic Networking in 1989-90; the Committee on Program for the Annual Conference in 1994-95; the Committee on Nominations and Elections in 1997-98; and the Committee on Honors and Awards in 1998-99. He also served as Vice Chair of the NACUA Institute at Harvard Task Force in 1992-93, and has been, for many years, a frequent speaker at both CLE workshops and Annual Conferences.
In addition to these many years of service and dedication, Mr. Ward is the creator and originator of NACUANET. While some people questioned and debated its usefulness, he moved forward and set up a trial network through his own university’s computer system. When the listserv moved to Georgetown University, Mr. Ward continued his role as its constant guide and advocate. Like its historic antecedents -- the Association’s Exchange of Legal Information (ELI) Program and the Legal Reference Service itself -- NACUANET has its roots in the edict that the quality of legal work for academic institutions is enhanced by collaborative interactions among university attorneys. Nowhere is the wisdom of this view more evident than in the traffic on NACUANET. For many NACUA members, it is far and away the Association’s most valued member service. And all because Mr. Ward had a vision of how we could better encourage and facilitate communication between and among NACUA members.
NACUA is honored to present the Distinguished Service Award to Paul J. Ward. His achievements, accomplishments, and dedication have brought distinction to our profession and to our Association. He exemplifies the essence of, and is regarded by his colleagues and peers as a leader in the truest sense of the word.