 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|||||||
WORCESTER COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL DON'T MISS OUT Now is the time to sign up for participation in WCBA committees and sections. A Committee/Section Preference Sheet was recently mailed to each of you. It is important to return your sheet, indicating your preference for committee and section assignments for the year beginning September 1, 2010. Committees/section assignments are not automatically carried over from year to year, so please take a few minutes to complete the form and mail it in. For your convenience, you can fill out the committee preference sheet from this web-site and submit it electronically. Membership involvement is the lifeblood of our association. We need your commitment to maintain our vitality. Please carefully consider which committees and sections you wish to become actively involved in. Thank you. ANNUAL MEETING UPDATE AND ELECTION RESULTS Just under 240 members attended the Worcester County Bar Association's annual meeting held on June 15, 2010 at Wachusett Country Club in West Boylston. Blaise P. Berthiaume, president of the WCBA, honored attorneys Robert S. White, James G. Reardon, Jr., Kevin J. Shea, Edward J. McTighe, Michael D. Badger and Thomas M. Hoffey, with the President’s Award for their dedication and service to the Worcester County Bar Association. Also honored as fifty year members were attorneys George F. Bernardin, Conrad W. Fisher, Ara P. Heroian, Norman L. Kasparson, John F. Keenan, Joseph Lian, Jr., and L. Ross Merrow. These attorneys have been admitted to the practice of law for fifty years and have been active members of the Worcester County Bar Association. They were honored for their 50 years of dedicated service to the legal profession. Attorney Janet J. McGuiggan, Head Litigator for the City of Worcester Law Department was elected to the office of president-elect of the Association. Her term as president will follow Eugene P. O’Donnell, Jr, who will take office as president of the WCBA on September 1st of this year. Gene is an officer in the law firm of Fletcher, Tilton & Whipple’s Litigation Group. Anthony J. Vigliotti was re-elected to the office of secretary/treasurer. Tony maintains a law practice at 34 Mechanic Street, Worcester and is the Register of Deeds for Southern Worcester County. The following members will serve on the Executive Committee of the association for fiscal year 2011: Michael D. Badger of Worcester, Damien D. Berthiaume of North Brookfield, James A. Bisceglia of Worcester, Paul M. Cranston of Barre, Michael R. Christy of Worcester, Mark A. Goldstein of Gardner, Margaret J. Hurley of Worcester, Jonathan Mannina of Worcester, Julie S. Morrill of Southbridge, Anne L. O’Connor of Worcester, Stephen J. Philbin of Clinton, Geoffrey E. Spofford of Worcester, Paul M. Sushchyk of Worcester John K. Vigliotti of Worcester and Gina M. Wilson of Fitchburg. Mustard Seed Dinners Due to the tremendous need this year, the Worcester County Bar Association is going to prepare and serve two dinners at the Mustard Seed this summer. The dates for our dinner evenings: Monday August 9, 2010 The Mustard Seed is an organization in Worcester that serves meals to homeless and other needy adults and children. If you wish to volunteer in any way for either of these projects, please contact Wendy Jane Rickles at Rickleslaw@charter.net or at 508 752-0499. WCBA LAWYER REFERRAL SERVICE The Lawyer Referral Service of the Worcester County Bar Association is a very successful program for both clients in need of legal representation and for attorneys trying to build or add to their client base. The program has the dual purpose of serving both the public and our attorney members. For the public, the first contact an individual may have with the legal profession is with the Lawyer Referral Service of the WCBA. We assist the public in locating a private attorney to represent them. Those callers not looking for the assistance of a private attorney are referred to the appropriate social service organization.The WCBA advertises our LRS program in every Nynex Yellow Page book throughout Worcester County. We receive well over 1000 calls per month originating throughout all of Worcester County. The program is a service for individuals who are looking to hire private attorneys in Worcester County in all areas of law. We are not a pro bono service. Membership dues to participate in the program are $75.00 per fiscal year for attorneys practicing for six years or more and $50.00 for attorneys practicing five years of less. Join now, and we will docket your dues for the fiscal year beginning September 1st but will add your name on the rotation to receive referrals immediately. Giving you two extra months for free! Why not give us a try? We can sign up attorneys in all areas of law. We are always interested in adding unique or special practice areas. Why not join for a year and see what happens? Please call the WCBA office at 508-752-1311 or e-mail lrsinfo@worcestercountybar.org for an application to join. Candice Staples is the coordinator of the program, please feel free to call her directly with any questions you may have regarding the program. Thank you for your consideration. CONGRATULATIONS TO LAW DAY AWARD RECIPIENTS Our Annual Law Day Breakfast was held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Friday, April 30, 2010. We had over 130 people in attendance enjoying our guest speaker's remarks, the awards program, the breakfast and good company. We are thankful to the Honorable John S. McCann, our guest speaker, for his remarks on the law day theme of Law in the 21st Century: Enduring Traditions, Emerging Challenges. The Massachusetts Bar Association's Community Service Award was presented to attorney Brian J. Buckley of the law firm of Fletcher, Tilton & Whipple by attorney Edward W. McIntyre, past-president of the Massachusetts 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 Stephen T. Greaney, Assistant Chief Probation Officer (retired) of the Worcester Probate and Family Court. The award was presented by the president of the WCBA, Blaise P. Berthiaume. The Worcester County Bar Association also presented an award to eight grade student Ryan Fox who attends St. Bernadette School in Northborough, for writing the winning essay in the Law Day Essay contest. The award was presented by Blaise P. Berthiaume. Congratulations to each of you! LAW DAY THANK YOU 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 – Mary Asadoorian, Joe Boynton, Mary Casey, Hon. Joseph Lian, Jr.(retired), Hon. Milton H. Raphaelson (retired), Daniel M. Wrenn and Eugene P. O'Donnell, Jr., Chairman. The Dial-a-Lawyer Volunteers – Carolyn Mitchell, Mary Casey, Eugene P. O'Donnell, Jr., Mark Goldstein, Jonathan Mannina, Jeremy Theerman, Michael Badger, Mark Lee, Jon Revelli, Hon. Joseph Lian, Jr. (retired), and John Donohue. A special thanks goes out to our president-elect, Eugene P. O'Donnell, Jr., chair of this years Law Day for all his work and effort in making this years celebration so successful. Finally, a very special thank you to the Honorable John S. McCann. We were honored to have Judge McCann participate in our celebration as our guest speaker for the Law Day Breakfast. Our annual celebration of Law Day and it's related activities would not be possible without the combined efforts of these individuals. Thank you. THE MENTOR PROGRAM: ANOTHER BENEFIT OF MEMBERSHIP IN Do have a question concerning a legal issue or matter that you have not encountered before or are struggling to answer a substantive legal question? Do you have a client wanting you to represent them in a type of matter you have rarely handled? Are you a seasoned attorney interested in learning about an unfamiliar area of law? Do you have questions about personnel or technical operations in your law office or are thinking about opening your own office? Do you need some practical advice, insight or help with any of the above? As a WCBA member, you should know that the WCBA office maintains a list of over 75 practitioners experienced in a wide variety of practice categories and who are willing to advise and help you provide the best advice and service possible to your clients. Whether you are a new or experienced attorney, if you would like to know more about the Mentor Program or access its benefits, call the Worcester County Bar Association Office (508-752-1311 or 1-800-662-9700) for information or ask for a confidential referral to a qualified mentor on the panel willing to help a fellow colleague and member of the WCBA. Volunteer Opportunities WCBA REDUCED FEE PROGRAM NEEDS PANEL ATTORNEYS The Reduced Fee Program of the Worcester County Bar Association is looking for attorneys to serve on its panel of attorneys willing to represent marginally indigent clients at a reduced rate. Through the Reduced Fee Program, attorneys agree to charge no more than $75.00 per hour to the client. To receive information on the program, please contact Candice Staples at 508-752-1311. Thank you for your consideration. |
|||||||
About Us | Officers & Board | Committees & Sections | Past Presidents |
|||||||