MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) -- The co-founder of the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Morris Dees, has been chosen to receive the highest award from the American Bar Association.

The association announced that Dees will receive the ABA Medal when the association meets Aug .7 in Chicago.

ABA President Bill Robinson says Dees is an outstanding example of a lawyer who moves the country toward tolerance and equality case by case.

Dees and Joseph Levin started the Southern Poverty Law Center in 1971.

Dees is known for winning cases that helped integrate government and public institutions and for fighting white supremacist hate groups.

AP-WF-07-13-12 0933GMT