Every year the Legal Aid Society of Orange County presents the Patricia Herzog Pro Bono Service Award to outstanding volunteers whose pro bono contributions to Orange County’s most vulnerable populations capture the spirit of Pat Herzog and honor her memory.
Patricia “Pat” Herzog (1922-2010) became LASOC’s first attorney in 1958. After earning a degree in economics from the University of Texas, Pat helped with the war effort by building planes in Long Beach, CA during World War II. She then became a reporter, but was fired for the “offense” of getting pregnant. This fortified her determination to succeed and contribute in her community as a professional working woman. After finding inspiration from an advertisement on a matchbook cover, Pat enrolled in correspondence courses, studied law, and became an attorney – a profession not quite ready for women in the 1950s.
Pat found her legal home here at LASOC as our first lawyer. She would later become a Board member and then serve as President on the Executive Committee. Pat served on the LASOC Board for 32 years from 1971 to 2003. She took us from a small program providing a few day-to-day services to an established litigation and advocacy force with robust programs dedicated to access to justice. Today, LASOC continues Pat’s spirit and determination by fighting for the civil legal needs for all such as working families, single mothers, veterans, the elderly, and low-income individuals.
For more information on how to volunteer with LASOC, contact us at give@legal-aid.com
