The Distinguished Humanitarian Service Award is given to an individual who demonstrates outstanding professional performance, leadership in the development of law in the community, and a commitment to humanitarian service to the bar and the Ramsey County community. The 2023 award goes to Hon. James Street, former Referee in Ramsey County Family Court and a shareholder at Tuft, Lach, Jerabek & O'Connell PLLC.
James "Jim" Street has been an active member of the Ramsey County legal community for thirty-three years. Referee Street spent twelve years on the bench as a Family Court referee, presiding over thousands of family law proceedings over the years with empathy and compassion. He provided law students with mentorship, resources, and contacts, and helped many families set aside their differences to focus on what was important: their children.
A tremendous asset to Ramsey County's legal community, Referee Street's contributions: he served as Chair of Minnesota's Alternative Dispute Resolution Ethical Board, taught countless CLEs, and was involved with the Early Case Management Committee, ultimately changing how family court operated. His enduring legacy on the bench has had a profound impact on our community, and his vision and dedication to families has made lasting improvements for the administration for justice.