MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (May 20, 2010) — The Minneapolis-based law firm of Gray Plant Mooty is pleased to announce that two of the five recipients of this year’s Hennepin County Bar Association (HCBA) awards are Gray Plant Mooty attorneys.

Judith Bevis Langevin, a shareholder and the chair of the firm’s Employment Law practice group, is a recipient of the HCBA’s 2010 Diversity Award, and Gene Hennig, a shareholder and member of the firm’s Business Advisory Group, is a recipient of the HCBA’s 2010 Professionalism Award.

The HCBA Diversity Award recognizes those who have fostered a continuing commitment to increasing diversity in the legal profession and made efforts to increase access to legal services for historically underrepresented individuals.

Actively promoting diversity has been one of Judith Bevis Langevin’s unofficial job descriptions throughout her career. She facilitated the creation of theatre-based training program on sexual harassment and diversity. Enthused with the potential of such live training programs performed by professional actors, she has teamed with the local theatre group, Theatre at Work, to make such programs available. These programs have been produced on-site for a number of organizations and have received tremendously positive feedback.. In addition, Langevin has demonstrated her commitment to closing the racial and gender disparity gaps through her involvement in numerous boards and committees.

The HCBA Professionalism Award recognizes two individuals each year—a judge and a lawyer—for their commitment to the highest of professional standards in the legal community. These awards are granted in the belief that professionalism serves the best interests of clients, fosters respect and trust between lawyers and the public, promotes the efficient resolution of disputes, and improves the administration of justice.

Gene Hennig is the recipient of the 2010 Professionalism Award for a lawyer. The annual award is presented to a member of the Hennepin County Bar who “best exemplifies the pursuit of the practice of law as a profession, including the spirit of public service and promotion of the highest level of competence, integrity, and ethical conduct.” Hennig has served the bar and community as a law professor, a firm leader, a scholar in business law, and a lawyer who provides the highest quality of representation to his clients. In 2009, he was appointed one of Minnesota’s commissioners to the National Conference of Uniform State Laws, an organization dedicated to improving the American legal system through the adoption of uniform state legislation.

The awards were presented to Langevin and Hennig at the HCBA Annual Meeting on May 20, 2010.