ABA Silver Gavel Awards

The ABA Silver Gavel Awards are annual awards presented by the American Bar Association since 1958, recognizing outstanding work in media and the arts that fosters the American public’s understanding of law and the legal system. The awards celebrate excellence across multiple formats including books, documentaries, drama and literature, magazines, newspapers, radio and podcasts, television, and web/multimedia highlighting works that inform, educate, and engage audiences on legal issues.

Nominations are open to eligible media published or presented during the preceding year, with entries reviewed first by a 50-person screening committee of lawyers, judges, journalists, scholars, and volunteers, and finalists evaluated by the ABA Standing Committee on Gavel Awards. The Silver Gavel Awards aim to honor creativity, journalistic integrity, and educational impact, ensuring that exemplary works that enhance public understanding of law are recognized annually.