The William M. Cox Award was established to recognize an attorney or judge in recognition of excellence and exemplary service in the field of land use law, and unselfish assistance to attorneys, local officials and other professionals.  Mr. Cox, author of New Jersey Zoning and Land Use Administration, General Counsel Emeritus to the New Jersey Planning Officials and a member, since its inception, of the Municipal Land Use Law Drafting Committee, was a renowned land use law authority who gave selflessly of himself to local planning and zoning boards, as well as fellow practitioners.

Recipients of this award have been William M. Cox, Robert Rogers, Thomas W. Dunn, Glenn C. Kienz, Brian Burns, Eugene D. Serpentelli, Reginald Stanton, Stuart Koenig, Michele R. Donato, A. Michael Rubin and Jonathan Drill.