Each year, MCLE has the pleasure of honoring those volunteers whose generous sharing of time
and talent serves as an example of the CLE spirit. The recipients of the 2009-10 Scholar-Mentor Awards are:
Hon. Margot Botsford
Associate Justice, Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
A former member of MCLE's Board of Trustees and a tireless participant on numerous MCLE programs annually in such diverse areas as litigation, appellate advocacy, municipal, employment, environmental, and criminal law; editor of or contributing author on several MCLE signature publications, including Chapter 93A: Rights and Remedies, Handbook of Legal Research in Massachusetts, and Skirting the Barriers: The Unfinished Story of Women Lawyers and Judges in Massachusetts.
Paul M. Kane
McGrath & Kane, Boston
A preeminent practitioner in the area of family and divorce law who has participated in more than 60 MCLE programs over the past 25 years; the creator of and a regular participant in MCLE's Family Law Trial Advocacy Workshop and a regular faculty member of MCLE's annual Family Law Conference; creator of MCLE's first online program; contributing author on MCLE's Massachusetts Divorce Law Practice Manual
Hon. Patti B. Saris
U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts
An energetic veteran of dozens of MCLE programs on sophisticated topics in federal court practice, evidence and business litigation; a former editor of MCLE's signature practice manual Massachusetts Evidence: A Courtroom Reference and a contributor to The U.S. District Court Speaks judicial guide; coeditor of MCLE's Skirting the Barriers: The Unfinished Story of Women Lawyers and Judges in Massachusetts.
Mary H. Schmidt
Schmidt & Federico, PC, Boston
One of MCLE's most prolific program and book volunteers; a frequent presenter at estate planning, probate and family law courses and at the Probate and Family Court's mandatory GAL training programs; editor of MCLE's bestselling Drafting Wills and Trusts in Massachusetts and contributing author on six other MCLE manuals.
The recipients of the 2008-09 Scholar-Mentor Awards are:
Hon. Edward M. Ginsburg
Associate Justice (Ret.), Probate and Family Court; Legal Assistance Corporation of Central Massachusetts, Worcester
An enthusiastic volunteer for over 30 years who has participated in more than 70 MCLE family law programs; an active participant in MCLE's annual Family Law Trial Advocacy Workshop and creator of the highly acclaimed Family Law Mediation Workshop; a judicial commentator on MCLE's Divorce Law Practice Manual. Strongly committed to providing legal services to the poor, he founded the pro bono initiative, Senior Partners for Justice, in 2002.
Martin R. Healy
Goodwin Procter LLP, Boston
A vital member of MCLE's Real Estate and Environmental Law Curriculum Advisory Committee who has helped shape that area's programming for more than two decades; a frequent speaker at environmental law and land use programs; editor and author of MCLE's best-selling Massachusetts Zoning Manual since its initial publication in 1990.
John O. Mirick
Mirick, O'Connell, DeMallie & Lougee LLP, Worcester
A former member of MCLE's Board of Trustees and Civil Litigation Curriculum Advisory Committee involved in both institutional governance and curriculum development; an active faculty member on numerous litigation programs annually; and a prolific author involved in several MCLE publications, including Massachusetts Superior Court Civil Practice Manual and Civil Practice Jury Instructions, Chapter 93A: Rights and Remedies, and Massachusetts Expert Witnesses.
Nancy S. Shilepsky
Shilepsky O'Connell Hartley Casey Michon Yelen Robb LLP, Boston
A leading practitioner in the area of employment law instrumental in curriculum development as a member of MCLE's Employment Law Curriculum Advisory Committee; a perennial participant in MCLE's annual Employment Law Conference and frequent presenter at numerous other MCLE programs; co-editor of MCLE's Massachusetts Employment Law manual and co-author of Representing a Plaintiff in a Wrongful Termination Case.
The recipients of the 2007-08 Scholar-Mentor Awards are:
Cathleen L. Bennett
Committee for Public Counsel Services, Boston
A key member of MCLE's Criminal Law Curriculum Advisory Committee; a frequent speaker at criminal law programs and a leader in curriculum development for training of new criminal defense lawyers; an author of Trying Sex Offense Cases in Massachusetts; and editor of MCLE's best-selling Massachusetts Districut Court Criminal Defense Manual.
Hon. Paul A. Chernoff
Associate Justice, Massachusetts Superior Court
A dedicated teacher and writer who has participated in more than 50 MCLE programs in all areas of civil and criminal law and serves as the judicial editor of MCLE's flagship litigation publication, the Massachusetts Superior Court Civil Practice Manual; a highly respected and admired judge actively involved in MCLE's annual "On Your Feet" Trial Advocacy Workshop.
Donald N. Freedman
Rosenberg, Freedman & Goldstein LLP, Newton
A respected authority and frequent speaker on the legal needs and rights of the elderly and individuals with disabilities; Co-chair of MCLE's annual Elder and Disability Law Conference for 25 years and co-editor of the nationally-recognized three-volume publication Estate Planning for the Aging and Incapacitated Client in Massachusetts since its publication in 1991.
Emily S. Starr
Ciota, Starr & Vander Linden LLP, Fitchburg & Worcester
A leading expert in the areas of elder law and public benefits who has served as co-editor of MCLE's nationally-recognized Estate Planning for the Aging and Incapacitated Client in Massachusetts since 1991; Co-chair of MCLE's annual Elder and Disability Law Conference for 25 years, and faculty member on numerous other programs, including financing community and long-term care services, special needs planning, and estate planning for the elderly and disabled.
The recipients of the 2006-07 Scholar-Mentor Awards are:
Virginia F. Coleman
Ropes & Gray LLP, Boston
A key member of MCLE's Estate Planning Curriculum Advisory Committee for two decades; a frequent speaker and chair of the annual Estate Planning Conference, and one of MCLE's original estate planning "Breakfast with the Experts" presenters.
Linda S. Fidnick
Burres, Fidnick & Booth LLP, Amherst
The chair of MCLE's annual family law conferences for over a decade; dedicated to teaching and mentoring Western Massachusetts' family law bar. A frequent speaker for MCLE who has been generous in sharing her creativity for new product development.
Hon. John M. Greaney
Associate Justice, Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
A prolific teacher and writer, he was the first editor and visionary behind the development of MCLE's publications on Chapter 93A and appellate practice. A devoted and highly esteemed judge in MCLE's annnual Trial Advocacy Workshops.
Stanley Keller
Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP, Boston
The editor of Massachusetts Business Lawyering, chair of the annual Business & Securities Law Conference, and an MCLE Trustee for nine years, he was also instrumental in training Massachusetts' corporate bar in Chapter 156D, the Massachusetts Business Corporation Act.