Thomas More Law Center (TMLC) attorney, Erin Mersino, has been given the “Defender of the Faith” award by Legatus, America’s largest organization of top Catholic business owners. The award was presented to Mersino by John Hunt, the Legatus Executive Director, last Friday morning at the annual Legatus convention in Orlando, FL.
According to Hunt, recipients of the award have exhibited perseverance and a visible defense of the tenets of the Catholic Faith, many times at some personal risk. “We are deeply grateful to Erin for her service to Legatus, to the Church and to the constitution that we all hold dear.” said Hunt, as he presented her with the award.
The Thomas More Law Center (TMLC) is a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. TMLC’s mission includes defending the religious liberty of Christians guaranteed by our Constitution. Ms. Mersino was chosen for the award, in part, for her prescient, creative and tireless work in defense of religious freedom and her service to those whose religious rights are under attack.
Erin Mersino’s defense of religious freedom includes her representation of 23 plaintiffs challenging the Obama Administration’s HHS Mandate, and her defense of Father Ray Leonard, the contract Naval Chaplain who was banned from celebrating Catholic Mass during the recent government shut-down and threatened with arrest if he volunteered to celebrate Mass or if he entered the Chapel.
Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law, commented, “Erin is not just an outstanding and courageous attorney; her dedication and unyielding work ethic are what sets her apart. Her passion for these principles, religious freedom and the faith, makes her an undeniable force to be reckoned with.”