MUSTARD SEED DINNER

The Annual Mustard Seed Dinner sponsored by the Committee on Services to the Poor and Homeless is scheduled for July 17, 2013 at the Mustard Seed, 93 Piedmont Street, Worcester.  If you want to assist with the preparation or supplying a specific food item, please contact Wendy Rickles at wendyrickles@gmail.com.  You may also make a donation by sending a check made out to the Worcester County Bar Association and mail to WCBA, 370 Main Street, Worcester, MA  01608. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO SEE THE COMPLETE LIST ON HOW YOU CAN ASSIST WITH THIS EVENT.  Thank you. 

CONGRATULATIONS TO LAW DAY AWARD RECIPIENTS AND THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT MADE THE DAY SUCH A SUCCESS 

     Our Annual Law Day Breakfast was held at Coral Seafood Restaurant on Wednesday, May 1, 2013.  We had over 160 people in attendance enjoying our guest speaker’s remarks, the awards program, the breakfast and good company.  We are grateful to Chief Justice Phillip Raposa, our guest speaker, for his remarks and participation in our celebration of Law Day. 

     The Massachusetts Bar Association’s Community Service Award was presented to attorney Elizabeth W. Morse, of the law firm of Wickstrom Morse, by attorney Edward W. McIntyre, a past president of the Massachusetts Bar Association and Worcester County Bar Association.  This award is given to a local attorney who has performed acts of outstanding public service within their community.

     The Worcester County Bar Association’s Liberty Bell Award is presented each year to a non-lawyer or an organization that has contributed to the community and to the administration of justice.  This year’s recipient was Joel J. Fortaine, Jr., Director of the Division of Planning and Regulatory Services for the City of Worcester.  The award was presented by WCBA president, Margaret J. Hurley.

     An award was also presented to eight grade student Maryam Salah who attends Al-Hamra Academy in Shrewsbury, for writing the winning essay in the Law Day Essay contest.  The award was presented by Mark I. Zarrow, WCBA president-elect.

     Congratulations to each of our award recipients!

     In addition to the breakfast, we were pleased to have a special sitting of the Massachusetts Appeals Court in Worcester on Law Day.  The judges sitting were the Honorable Phillip Raposa, the Honorable Sydney Hanlon and the Honorable Peter Agnes.  The judges and their clerks  joined us for our Law Day breakfast.

     A Naturalization ceremony was also held on Law Day.  The Honorable Timothy S. Hillman of the United States District Court presided at this ceremony.

     The officers, executive committee and staff of the Worcester County Bar Association would like to thank everyone who contributed to the success of this year’s Law Day activities.  Sincere thanks and credit to:

     The Law Day Committee –  Mark I. Zarrow, Chair; Joe Boynton, Mary Casey, Maria Rockwell, Donald Seeley, Gordon Shaw, William F. Sullivan and Lisa J. Wells.

     The Dial-a-Lawyer Volunteers – Mary Casey, Nicole Caprioli, J. Steven Foley, Margaret J. Hurley, Henry Raphaelson, John A. Shea, Mark I. Zarrow, Laura W. Gal, Anthony J. Vigliotti, Lucas J. Miller and Damien D. Berthiaume.

     We would also like to thank Rabbi David Thomas for giving the invocation and benediction at the breakfast.

     A special thanks goes out to our president-elect, Mark I. Zarrow, chair of the Law Day Committee for all his work and effort in making this year’s celebration so successful.     

     Our annual celebration of Law Day and its related activities would not be possible without the combined efforts of these individuals.  Thank you.

The WCBA Committee on Services to the Poor and Homeless in partnership with the Massachusetts Justice Project (MJP) are pleased to announce the launch of a new volunteer Lawyer of the Day program in the Worcester District Court. The program will operate on Tuesdays during the small claims and supplementary process sessions of the district court. Volunteer attorneys will provide information and advice, assist with preparation of court forms, and – as resources permit – limited legal representation to low income qualifying pro se parties. MJP will coordinate recruitment and scheduling of volunteers, and will provide training, on-site mentoring, and screening of clients.

Volunteers Needed: For more information or to volunteer, please contact Jose Otero, at the Massachusetts Justice Project at (508) 831-9888 or e-mail him at jotero@majp.org.