Georgetown Law Dean Treanor and Dean of Students Bailin Honored
May 3, 2012 —
In recognition of their efforts to raise mental health awareness among law students, Georgetown University Law Center Dean William M. Treanor and Dean of Students Mitchell Bailin have been selected as the recipients of the 2012 David S. Stoner Uncommon Counselor Award by the Dave Nee Foundation.
The Stoner Award is "given annually to a member or members of the legal profession who exhibit extraordinary compassion and concern for their co-workers, family, friends and community." It was established in memory of David S. Stoner, vice president and founder of the Dave Nee Foundation, who died in 2010.
"When we lost Dave Nee in 2005, Bill Treanor not only served as a rock on which we in the Fordham Law community could lean, he was incredibly supportive and compassionate to Dave's friends and family," said Wynne Kelly, president of the Dave Nee Foundation. "Dean Treanor continues to be invested in mental health issues among law students and encourages awareness and treatment. He brings a level of compassion and kindness that helps foster an atmosphere of mutual respect and concern."
"Through creative and relentless efforts, Mitch Bailin has built an infrastructure of mental health resources, including on-site counseling services," said Kelly. "Perhaps more importantly, Dean Bailin promotes these resources constantly and provides a safe environment for students to discuss stress, anxiety, depression and other issues common in every law school. He has established a 'gold standard' for mental health resources and programs for law schools."
In the wake of the 2005 suicide of Fordham Law student Dave Nee, Treanor, who was then dean of Fordham Law School, led the law school community, providing support and comfort and prioritizing mental health awareness and suicide prevention programs. He also played an important role in the creation of the Dave Nee Foundation and has remained a strong advocate of the organization since its inception.
Bailin was instrumental in the founding of Georgetown Law’s nationally-recognized programs Lawyers in Balance, which teaches law students stress reduction, resilience and mind-body wellness techniques, and Search Before the Search, which emphasizes reflective, values-driven decision-making among first-year J.D. students. He also provides academic and personal counseling to more than 200 J.D. students annually.
The Dave Nee Foundation’s mission is to educate young people, their families and friends about the disease of depression, to promote the treatment and diagnosis of depression among young adults and to eliminate the stigma associated with depression and suicide. The Foundation’s Uncommon Counsel program works to educate law students about depression and its prevalence in the legal profession.
