MISSOULA -- There is a moment, usually at the end of the semester, when University of Montana Law School professor Dave Patterson asks students in his family law class to make a promise.

Those who oblige, and most of them do, raise their hands and pledge two things:

-- To take on at least one adoption case pro bono.

-- And when they do, to call their former professor and tell him.

For 20-some years, this quiet oath has unfolded in Patterson's classroom. And as the years go by, more and more of Patterson's students become Montana lawyers, and more and more adoption cases are taken pro bono.

The ripple effect has been enormous, said Doug James, a Billings attorney and UM Law School graduate.

"Professor Patterson has helped create a culture where nearly all adoptions in Montana are done by attorneys free of charge, which is something that is very unique to Montana in terms of accomplishments," James said. "Professor Patterson is not just a teacher and mentor, but he is also being an activist and changing our culture."

It is for those reasons that James wrote a letter to Cath-olic Social Services of Montana, nominating Patterson for the adoption agency's inaugural certificate of ap-preciation for people instrumental in adoption work, called the Stork Award.

Upon learning of Patterson's legacy and efforts to give children permanent homes of their own, Catholic Social Services agreed with James' opinion of the law professor, said Rosemary Miller, executive director of the agency.

"The effect he has had on adopting in Montana makes him one of the greatest unsung heroes of our time," Miller said.

On Tuesday -- National Adoption Day -- Patterson received the award and was honored during a celebration at Missoula Children's Theatre, where families currently in the adoption process signed the final documents that make their adoptions -- and the welcoming of a new family member -- official.

The attention and recognition is unexpected, Patterson said. "There are so many more people who are more deserving of this. But I do feel honored."

Patterson said he doesn't remember the first time he asked his class to take the pro bono pledge, and over the years, he's lost count of the phone calls he's received from former students saying, "Hey, I did what I promised."

The idea was hatched spontaneously, he said, but the cause is something that has long been close to his heart.

"There are a lot of kids out there in need of parents, and with the changes in our living patterns a lot of kids seem left in the lurch," Patterson said. "There are a lot of kids out there without the mentoring of parents."

Each year, more than 300 adoptions take place in Montana, most of which are done with the help of attorneys who donate their time and expertise free of charge, Miller said.

"The pro bono really helps families in being able to navigate the legal system and finalize the adoptions," she said. "For some families, it would be something to procrastinate on if there weren't attorneys to help finalize the adoptions at no cost."

Although Patterson is humbled, if not wholly embarrassed by the honor, James said he is thrilled to learn the professor's work will be celebrated.

"Dave Patterson is a great example of how one person can change the world," James said. "Most attorneys in Montana have taken his family law class and many of those students practice family law or go on to practice family law."

"It is because of Professor Patterson we have this pro bono culture when it comes to adoptions," he said. "Adoptions are an incredible gift for our community and it's something that changes lives -- it's amazing."