On October 10, Nebraska Appleseed will gather again to celebrate the outstanding contributions of individuals and organizations who have stood up for justice and opportunity for all during the 2024 Good Apple Awards. We are proud to recognize this year’s honorees.
The Seeds of Justice Award honors outstanding legal contributions to public interest law and/or pro bono contributions by private lawyers and law firms advancing the public interest through public policy reform.
“Daniel Gutman has played a critical role in advancing the causes of justice across Nebraska through his legal work and leadership. Daniel’s efforts have helped guide direct democracy initiatives, increase government accountability, and promote civil and constitutional rights, all with an eye towards confronting systemic inequities and promoting access to justice for all.” – Ken Smith, Program Director: Economic Justice
Daniel is a civil rights and elections lawyer with over 15 years of experience in law and policy. Before starting his own practice, Daniel served as a law clerk to the Honorable John M. Gerrard, U.S. District Judge for the District of Nebraska. He then spent several years in private practice litigating commercial disputes, constitutional claims, and election law matters, including three legal challenges to a 2020 ballot initiative. While in private practice, Daniel assisted with litigation efforts in state and federal courts across the country, including Nebraska, Texas, Kentucky, Iowa and Oklahoma.
In law school, Daniel interned at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and the Southern Poverty Law Center. He researched constitutional claims challenging the American death penalty, and assisted with litigation efforts to end the money-bail system in Alabama. Before law school, Daniel spent several years working on youth justice issues primarily in the Deep South, including the implementation of a 2012 U.S. Supreme Court decision prohibiting mandatory life in prison sentences for children under the age of 18.
In addition to his work at the firm, Daniel directs the First Amendment Clinic at the University of Nebraska College of Law, where he actively litigates free speech cases in state and federal court.
Join us in celebrating Daniel Gutman at the 2024 Good Apple Awards on October 10, 2024 or make a donation in honor of this year’s honorees. For more information, contact Denni Mitchell at dmitchell@neappleseed.org.