Nichols Award Presented to Patricia Shipman

The William E. Nichols Community Service Award was awarded to Patricia Shipman at the 2026 LLA Annual Banquet to recognize her outstanding community service and for exemplifying the positive role that attorneys play in our community beyond the practice of law. The award was established in 2012, with its first recipient being Bill Nichols, in recognition of the breadth of Nichols’ sustained commitment to volunteer community service. 

Trish's award was presented by Jennifer Ayers, with whom she has worked over the years. Here are her remarks:

Many of the past recipients of this award have had intense involvement with various community organizations, whether it be Kiwanis, Scouting or youth sports: a big impact in one area of our community. Sometimes, though, it's not a big single impact that helps foster those positive roles in the community. I heard a quote this week that resonated with me about small actions. "Start with something small and watch it grow." I'm reminded of the impact a small pebble makes when it hits a body of water and waves spread out.

This year's recipient of the William Nichols Award has been doing small things around our community for decades. In doing the small things, they have also been encouraging and inspiring others around them to find something meaningful to also do a small thing because many small things become something much larger within our community. So what seemingly small things have this year's recipient been doing?

They have sat on the following boards of directors: Lycoming County Library System, Greater Lycoming Habitat for Humanity and the Williamsport Home.

They are a past president of the Friends of the J.V. Brown Library and have been on the organizing committee of the Library's Author Gala.

They have given many hours of volunteer work with animals. My favorite of these perhaps was when she and her husband volunteered at Appalachian Horse Help and Rescue. She told me she thought it would be easier to resist the temptation of adoption . . . it was not. I remember her coming into my office with a somewhat shocked expression that she was now the owner of a horse.

She volunteers to work with the dogs at the SPCA. She does that Monday nights - so we are lucky to have her with us [the banquet was on a Monday night]. And yes there was an adoption from the SPCA too. And if that wasn't enough, she fosters large breed dogs until they can find their forever home through Echo Dog Rescue and Mastiff to Mutts. She fostered one "small" to them dog, until my husband said, "okay-Rex can live with us" . . . after my dad passed away and the original placement of his dog couldn't continue.

She also has been incredibly supportive and encouraging of her staff's contributions of time and money to their community causes of choice. Each year Raise the Region receives donations from Susquehanna Law Group to the non-profit choice for each staff member. 

I will be forever grateful for her support, both in volunteering for our events and supporting the time I spent with my own non-profit Ellie's Heart Foundation, allowing me to foster a community of support for teens with heart disease.

For creating her own impacts and for encouraging and supporting others to do the same, I am pleased to present this award to Patricia Shipman.