Law society lauds Sen. Harry Reid's service to country, LDS church

Law society lauds Sen. Harry Reid's service to country, LDS church

(Laura Seitz, Deseret News)


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SALT LAKE CITY — One of the most powerful elected officials in the country the past eight years received recognition Friday from a Mormon lawyers' group for his decades of service in government and for the LDS Church.

The J. Reuben Clark Law Society gave now-retired U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nevada, the Distinguished Public Service Award at its annual fireside in the LDS Conference Center.

In honoring Reid, Elder Lance B. Wickman, general counsel for the LDS Church and an emeritus General Authority Seventy, said the Democratic senator could never be called a shrinking violet.

"As one of the most visible public officials in the nation, he also has been one of the most influential. In every way he has been a force to be reckoned with," Elder Wickman said.

Reid served five terms in the U.S. Senate, including eight years as majority leader.

The law society also honored Ruth Lybbert Renlund with the Exemplary Leadership Award. Renlund practiced law in Salt Lake City for more than 20 years and is the former president of the law firm Dewsnup, King and Olsen.

Her husband, Elder Dale G. Renlund, and Elder M. Russell Ballard, both of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, attended the event.

The law society consists of 262 student and attorney chapters throughout the world. Most of its 20,000 members belong to the LDS Church and attended many law schools.

Reid graduated from George Washington Law School, but said one of his four lawyer sons went to law school at BYU, as did his son-in-law.

"We have a lot of lawyers in the family," he said in a brief speech.

Elder Wickman called "Brother" Reid a devoted Latter-day Saint.

"Throughout all his years at the pinnacle of government, he has been a loyal, constant source of wisdom and timely assistance on many matters of vital interest to the church," he said.

Elder Wickman said it always amused him that from time to time at stake conferences, people have asked if "that Harry Reid fellow" is really a member of the church.

"I have been pleased to respond that not only is Sen. Reid a member of the church, but he is a very, very good member of the church," he said.

Reid and his wife, Landra, joined the LDS Church while attending Utah State University.

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