HERSHEY (May 16, 1997) -- York lawyer William F. Hoffmeyer was awarded the Bar Medal, the highest honor conferred by the Pennsylvania Bar Association, yesterday during the association's Annual Meeting in Hershey. He is only the sixth person to ever receive the honor in over 100 years of the association's existence.

The Bar Medal is awarded to a PBA member whose efforts have resulted in significant improvement in the administration of justice or the legal profession, or who has performed outstanding service to the association, profession or the community.

"Bill achieved excellence through his passionate habit of ferreting out the unauthorized practice of law in Pennsylvania," said PBA President James F. Mundy. "I don't think I have ever witnessed a lawyer more tenacious, more devoted to a single cause than Bill."

Since 1993, Hoffmeyer has served as the first and only chair of the PBA Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee.

In 1996, his committee efforts were rewarded when the General Assembly passed into law a PBA-generated bill to impose tougher penalties for those involved in the unauthorized practice of law. The new law toughened criminal penalties for repeat offenders and also made unauthorized practice a violation of the "Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Act."

Hoffmeyer, a partner in the law firm Hoffmeyer & Semmelman, has also worked with county bar associations in their efforts to stamp out the unauthorized practice of law on the local level.

Most recently in April, a major victory was recorded when the Commonwealth Court upheld a decision by the Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court that said the participation of property-tax consultants in the real-estate tax assessment appeals process is indeed the unauthorized practice of law.

A graduate of the Dickinson School of Law, Hoffmeyer offers a service to his colleagues by providing unauthorized practice of law opinions rendered by his committee. Also, the committee's Manual Concerning the Unauthorized Practice of Law, now in its third printing, is being used by lawyers throughout the nation.

"Bill is relentless, tireless and fearless," said Mundy. "He is the lawyer's version of Superman, avenging wrong-dong at every turn and protecting the rights of consumers."