Recognized for legal assistance to the poor and outstanding leadership in the legal profession

HARRISBURG (May 2002) - A number of Pennsylvania lawyers recently were honored with recognition awards from the Pennsylvania Bar Association during its annual meeting held this month in Hershey. The awards included PBA Pro Bono awards for providing volunteer legal services to the poor PBA Special Achievement awards for outstanding service to the legal profession and the community.

The awardees are as follows:

Pro Bono Awards:
John Ashcraft, Lehigh County - an Allentown lawyer, worked through North Penn Legal Services to provide more than 12 pro bono hours to two needy clients in unemployment compensation appeal hearings at the referee level.

Jack Bergstein, Westmoreland County - a Monessen lawyer, was recognized for his service to the Westmoreland Bar Foundation Pro Bono Program and the PBA Delivery of Legal Services Task Force.

Joseph Bernstein, Lehigh County - an Allentown lawyer, worked through North Penn Legal Services to provide over 15 hours to two needy clients involved in custody cases.

Charles Bierbach, Huntingdon County - a partner in the Huntingdon law firm of Bierbach, McDowell, McMinn & Zanic, worked through MidPenn Legal Service Pro Bono Project to provide 36 pro bono hours to 40 needy clients in the areas of bankruptcy, wills and estates.

Joseph Campolieto, Lackawanna County - an Archbald lawyer, was recognized for his work with Lackawanna Pro Bono, Inc. and his representation of a number of needy clients.

Jerry Cartwright, Lawrence County - a sole practitioner, worked through the Neighborhood Legal Service Lawyer Referral Program to provide 62 pro bono hours to 19 needy clients.

Philip Cosentino, Franklin County - a partner in the Chambersburg law firm of DiLoreto, Cosentino and Bolinger P.C., donated 30 pro bono hours to the Franklin County Legal Services Program Protection from Abuse Pro Bono Project, which has volunteer lawyers represent victims of abuse in weekly protection from abuse hearings.

Steven Hurvitz, Centre County - a lawyer with McQuaide Blasko Law Offices in State College, worked through MidPenn Legal Services Pro Bono Project to provide 44 pro bono hours to three needy clients.

Sheryl Jackson, Adams County - a sole practitioner, worked through MidPenn Legal Services to provide 30 pro bono hours to seven needy clients. She worked with a number of low-income individuals on different cases, including Social Security disability.

Kenneth Jewell, Lancaster County - a sole practitioner, worked through the Lancaster Bar Association Volunteer Attorney Program to provide 120 pro bono hours to seven needy clients.

John Kerrigan Jr., Bucks County - a sole practitioner and PBA board member, worked through the Bucks County Legal Aid Pro Bono Program to provide over 50 pro bono hours to 12 needy clients. He represented clients in forfeiture and license suspension cases, enabling individuals to have their licenses restored and find jobs

Cindy Koser, Dauphin County - a sole practitioner, donated over 50 pro bono hours to help victims of domestic violence seek civil protection orders.

Meredith Rae Levin, Northampton County - a lawyer with Mondschein Associates, worked through North Penn Legal Services to provide 40 pro bono hours to eight needy clients involved in domestic matters, including support, custody and protection from abuse cases.

Mark Love, Monroe County - a sole practitioner, was recognized for his pro bono work with the Monroe County Bar Association Lawyer Referral Program.

James Lucht, Erie County - a sole practitioner, worked through the Legal Aid Volunteer Attorney Program to provide 20 pro bono hours to work with needy clients. He has been active participant in that program since 1983.

Joseph Malley III, Delaware County - a sole practitioner, worked through the Pro Bono project of Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania - Delaware County to provide 65 pro bono hours to four clients in matters relating to custody/support.

Richard Mohler, Mifflin County - a sole practitioner, worked through the MidPenn Legal Services Pro Bono Project to present free seminars on wills, powers of attorney and advanced health care directives to senior citizens.

Judge Kathleen Mulligan, Allegheny County

Kenneth Mummah, Juniata County - a lawyer with the Mifflintown law firm of Johnson & Zagurskie, worked through MidPenn Legal Service Pro Bono Project to provide 20 pro bono hours to four clients in family law-related issues.

Joseph O�Brien, Lackawanna County - a lawyer with the law firm of Oliver, Price & Rhoades in Clarks Summit, was recognized for his work with Lackawanna Pro Bono, Inc. and his representation of a number of needy clients.

Brooks Pomper, York County - a sole practitioner, worked through the York Pro Bono Project to provide 75 pro bono hours to two needy clients.

Bruce Ralston, Butler County - a sole practitioner, worked through Neighborhood Legal Services to provide 144 pro bono hours to 48 needy clients

James Sheehan, Dauphin County - general counsel for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, was recognized for initiating the Office of General Counsel (OGC) Pro Bono Initiative. OGC lawyers provided close to 1,500 pro bono hours to more than 45 clients. The lawyers worked through MidPenn Legal Services, the Support Center for Child Advocates, the YWCA of Greater Harrisburg, Neighborhood Legal Services and the law schools at Dickinson and Widener.

Theodore Thompson, Montgomery County - principal in the Law Offices of Theodore Q. Thompson, worked through Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania to donate 400 pro bono hours.

Mary Traupman, Allegheny County - a sole practitioner, worked through the Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force and Neighborhood Legal Services to provide 260 pro bono hours to 27 needy clients.

Steven Turner, Dauphin County - a lawyer with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Office of General Counsel, worked through the Harrisburg YWCA Domestic Violence Clinic to provide 150 pro bono hours to 10 clients.

Mark Weaver, Centre County - a lawyer with Mazza, Snyder, Arbuckle & Bascom in State College, worked through the MidPenn Legal Services Pro Bono Project to provide 25 pro bono hours to five needy clients.

Bernard Yannetti, Adams County - a partner in the law firm of Hartman & Yannetti, worked through the MidPenn Legal Services Pro Bono Project to provide 40 pro bono hours to seven needy clients.

Special Achievement Awards:
Clare Bello, Allegheny County - was recognized for her work in auditing the PBA-endorsed malpractice insurance program for attorneys.

Jerome Bogutz, Philadelphia - a lawyer with the law firm of Christie Pabarue, Mortensen & Young PC and a former PBA president, was recognized for his work in auditing the PBA-endorsed malpractice insurance program for attorneys.

Christopher Carusone, Dauphin County - a lawyer for the Pennsylvania State Police, was recognized for spearheading the creation of an employment section on the PBA Government Lawyers Committee Web site to help interested lawyers find jobs in government.

Judge Robert Conway, Wayne County - was recognized for his work in auditing the PBA-endorsed malpractice insurance program for attorneys.

Robert Davis, Dauphin County - a sole practitioner in Harrisburg, was recognized for his leadership as chair of the Client & Community Relations Committee and his work in spearheading important public education projects about the law and consumers� legal rights.

Robert Graci, Dauphin County - chief deputy attorney general for the Office of Attorney General, was recognized for his work as chair of the Criminal Law Section, which focuses its on efforts on work relating to Pennsylvania and federal criminal laws.

David Hofstein, Philadelphia - a shareholder in the law firm of Hofstein & Widman PC, was recognized for his work in auditing the PBA-endorsed malpractice insurance program for attorneys.

Robert Johnston, Westmoreland County - a partner in the law firm of Belden Law in Greensburg, was honored for his efforts in creating an educational CD-ROM that is used by county bar associations during attorney malpractice avoidance seminars.

Ralph Kates, Luzerne County - principal in the Ralph Kates Law Offices, was recognized for his efforts in drafting the PBA position opposing the U.S. Attorney General�s rule allowing federal agents to monitor communications between individuals in custody and their attorneys.

Gerard Mackarevich, Dauphin County - chief counsel for the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency was recognized for spearheading the creation of an employment section on the PBA Government Lawyers Committee Web site to help interested lawyers find jobs in government.

Donald Marritz, Adams County - was recognized for his efforts in drafting the PBA position opposing the U.S. Attorney General�s rule allowing federal agents to monitor communications between individuals in custody and their attorneys.

Robert Shea, Dauphin County - a lawyer for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, was recognized for spearheading the creation of an employment section on the PBA Government Lawyers Committee Web site to help interested lawyers find jobs in government.

Kathryn Simpson, Dauphin County - a lawyer with Mette Evans & Woodside, was recognized for her efforts in creating an educational CD-ROM, which is used by county bar associations during attorney malpractice avoidance seminars.

Joan Smith, Montgomery County - a sole practitioner, was recognized for her work as chair of the Law for Kids Subcommittee of the Children�s Rights and her oversight of a law-related Web site contest for Pennsylvania high schools.

Judge Jeffrey Sprecher, Berks County - was recognized for his service as chair of the Judicial Administration Committee, which studies and makes recommendations on legislative issues pertaining to the operation, procedure and reform of the state and federal court systems. The committee also develops and recommends measures that work to improve the administration of the courts and address court reform.