HARRISBURG (June 30, 2006) � William J. Higgins Jr., Bedford County�s first full-time district attorney, became chair-elect of Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) Young Lawyers Division (YLD) at the association�s annual meeting in Hershey.

A member of the Bedford County, Pennsylvania and American Bar associations and the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association, Higgins is co-chair of the PBA YLD�s Statewide High School Mock Trial program. He served as PBA YLD Zone 8 chairperson from 2001 to 2005 and on several panels and Continuing Legal Education programs sponsored by PBA YLD. In addition, he was a reverse mentor, teaching other PBA members about the benefits of online legal research. Higgins has supported the Bedford bar by chairing its committees for pro-bono activities, community relations and CLE.

Also active in his community, Higgins is vice president of the Bedford Rotary Club and serves on the board of directors for the Bedford chapter of Habitat for Humanity. He recently served as president of the Bedford Lions Club.

Higgins earned his bachelor�s degree from Villanova University and a juris doctorate from Widener University School of Law.