Powers Law is proud to announce that Managing Partner, Peter W. Thomas, JD, has been named one of six international recipients of the prestigious Viscardi Achievement Award which recognizes those who have had a profound impact on shaping attitudes, raising awareness, and improving the quality of life of people with disabilities.
The Henry Viscardi Achievement Awards were developed to honor the extraordinary societal contributions of the Awardees in the spirit of the legacy and vision of the Center’s founder, Dr. Henry Viscardi, Jr., who wore prosthetic legs. As one of the world’s leading advocates for people with disabilities, he served as a disability advisor to eight presidents, from Franklin D. Roosevelt to Jimmy Carter. To date, over 100 individuals from around the world have received the Award since its inception in 2013. Previous awardees include U.S.-based disability leaders Judy Heumann, Andy Imperato, Lex Frieden, Marca Bristo, David McGill, James Weisman, and Paul Schroeder.
Peter leads the disability and rehabilitation practice at Powers along with his partners through the years, the late Bobby Silverstein and John D. Kemp. Peter served on The Viscardi Center Board of Directors for more than ten years and currently serves on the Center’s Public Policy Committee. He served as Co-Chair of the Health Task Force of the Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities (CCD) for 30 years, general counsel to the National Association for the Advancement of Orthotics and Prosthetics (NAAOP), and coordinates disability coalitions to advance access to rehabilitation services, assistive devices and technologies, and disability and rehabilitation research. Similar to Henry Viscardi himself, Peter has used two prosthetic limbs since age ten and is a co-author of The Americans with Disabilities Act: A Guidebook for Management and People with Disabilities.
“I had the pleasure of meeting Henry Viscardi long ago and being inspired by his life’s work,” stated Peter. “I am so very honored to receive this award and congratulate my fellow awardees. I am humbled by the list of former Viscardi Award recipients in whose footsteps I walk.”
The 2023 Henry Viscardi Achievement Award international recipients are:
- Afshan Afridi, Collective Alliance for the Rights of Young Girls with Disabilities, Pakistan
- Alex Elegudin, Advocates for Children, U.S.
- Constantinos “Gus” Zografopoulos, Z Life, U.S.
- Jesus Hernandez-Galan, Fundación ONCE, Spain
- Mindy Henderson, Muscular Dystrophy Association, U.S.
- Peter Thomas, The Powers Law Firm, U.S.
The Viscardi Center’s Henry Viscardi Achievement Awards recognize the incredible impact being made globally by extraordinary leaders, role models, and advocates with disabilities who carry on the spirit and legacy of its founder, Dr. Henry Viscardi, Jr. – a premier advocate who implemented groundbreaking education and employment programs still positively influencing the quality of life of people with disabilities today. Previous awardees have included individuals with a wide range of disabilities from academia, entertainment, health care, sports, government, non-profit, and corporate sectors. Learn more at www.ViscardiCenter.org or at www.powerslaw.com.
Contact Information
Grace Williams, Marketing Specialist
Grace.Williams@PowersLaw.com