HARRISBURG (Sept. 11, 2006) � Mercer County Senior Judge Michael J. Wherry has received an Everyday Leader Award from the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA).

�Without fanfare, Judge Wherry has invested countless hours to improving the lives of his fellow citizens of Mercer County and to advocating on behalf of the legal profession,� said PBA President Kenneth J. Horoho Jr., who presented the award to Wherry. �Many attorneys, young and not so young, local and out-of-county, have benefited from the model set by Judge Wherry.�

Wherry was Mercer County�s first public defender, the county�s mental health delegate for many years and director of the county�s original mental health agency. In 1989, he was appointed as the county�s first domestic relations master and was instrumental in resolving many family law matters.

Wherry was appointed to the bench of the Mercer County Court of Common Pleas in 1992 and elected to a full term in 1993. Retired from the Mercer County court since 2003, Wherry is currently serving as a senior judge working primarily in Lawrence County.

He served as 1988-89 president of the Mercer County Bar Association and served as a zone delegate and as a member of various committees for the PBA.

A Mercer County native, Wherry is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

The Everyday Leader Award is given to individuals who go above and beyond, sharing their time and talent to help and support others,� said Horoho. �These unsung heroes work hard each and every day performing good works, not for personal gain or recognition, but for the right reasons�to improve the places they call home and to better Pennsylvania�s legal and judicial system. Judge Wherry is one of these �everyday leaders� and is deserving of this award in gratitude for his contributions to Mercer County.�

Founded in 1895, the Pennsylvania Bar Association exists to promote justice, professional excellence and respect of the law; improve public understanding of the legal system; facilitate access to legal services; and serve the 29,000 lawyers who are members of the association.