WAUSAU – Judicare Legal Aid announced today the honorees for the esteemed 2023 Howard B. Eisenberg Lifetime Achievement Award and Distinguished Service Award have long-standing ties to Judicare Legal Aid and northern Wisconsin.
On Nov. 4, the Wisconsin Equal Justice Fund will recognize Judicare’s Board Chairman Judge David Raasch with the Howard B. Eisenberg Lifetime Achievement Award and Judicare’s Client Services Director Phoua Yang with the Distinguished Service Award at a dinner in their honor. It will be held at The Madison Club.
“We are excited to be able to shed some light on two wonderful members of Judicare’s driving force – our Board of Directors and client services staff,” said Judicare Legal Aid Executive Director Beth Ann Richlen. “I have worked with Phoua since I started at Judicare over 15 years ago. I feel very fortunate to have her in my life and to watch our careers grow together within this organization.”
“Judge Raasch has been instrumental on driving our board to ensure quality services for all of our clients, including Wisconsin’s Native populations,” Richlen said. “He has been a tireless advocate for increasing Judicare’s reach to increase access to justice across our service area.”
Raasch, retired, has dedicated over five decades of his life to the legal system in Wisconsin. His extensive career includes serving as a sheriff’s deputy, clerk of municipal court, chief judge of the Stockbridge-Munsee Tribal Council Tribal Court, and peacemaking advisor and trainer.
Raasch, an enrolled member of the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians, has played a vital role in developing and growing the expertise of Wisconsin’s tribal judges through his involvement with such organizations as the Wisconsin Tribal Judges Association, Tribal Law and Order Act Advisory Committee, and the Tribal Law and Policy Institute.
He currently serves as the vice president of the Board of Directors for the Tribal Law and Policy Institute in West Hollywood, California, and holds the position of board chairman for Judicare Legal Aid in Wisconsin. He has been an unwavering advocate for and board member of Judicare for over a decade and has served as chairperson since 2017.
Yang has a remarkable 21-year tenure at Judicare. She has played various integral roles within client services, from receptionist and Hmong interpreter to her current role as client services director. Her dedication and commitment have made her an invaluable member of the Judicare management team, supporting Judicare through numerous technology upgrades. Yang has trained and supervised more staff than anyone, fostering a culture of hard work, respect and compassion for clients and colleagues alike.
Her accomplishments extend beyond Judicare’s walls. She has been recognized with the Unsung Hero of Wisconsin’s Legal Community award from the Wisconsin Law Journal, the Hmong Community Appreciation Award from the Wausau Area Hmong Mutual Association, Inc., and commendation from the United States Department of Defense for supporting the Guard and Reserve.
Yang continues to leave an enduring mark on Judicare and the community it serves.
Judicare Legal Aid is a Wausau-based nonprofit dedicated to providing free civil legal help to those who cannot otherwise afford it.
