 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 
|
|
 |
||||||||||||||||
|
Bar News - February 8, 2002 Bar Foundation Celebrates 25th Anniversary A TRIBUTE TO attorney Jack B. Middleton was the highlight of the New Hampshire Bar Foundation’s Silver Anniversary Reception, held in conjunction with the Bar’s Mid-Year Membership Meeting. Middleton was named an honorary fellow of the Bar Foundation as it celebrated 25 years of strengthening justice in New Hampshire. In honoring Middleton, Bar Foundation supporters and friends celebrated the profound impact he has had on the Foundation and on the entire New Hampshire legal community. Middleton’s contributions to the Bar Foundation and its mission are unmatched. He served as chair of the Bar Foundation from 1983 to 1989 and also served as chair of the National Conference of Bar Foundations. It was Middleton’s idea to bring the Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts concept to New Hampshire and his efforts made New Hampshire the second state in the country with an operational IOLTA program. Since 1982, when the program began, IOLTA has contributed more than $13 million to fund civil legal services and public education about the law. In addition, the Bar Foundation soon created its "Leadership Bank" list to recognize banks that provide preferred rates. Those banks were also honored at the Foundation Fellows’ Reception. As part of the tribute to Middleton, NH Superior Court Associate Justice Carol Ann Conboy and attorneys David Nixon and Charlie DeGrandpre recalled moments in Middleton’s exceptional law career – a career marked by a dedication to justice. Conboy met Middleton 23 years ago, when she joined the Manchester law firm that he helped found, McLane, Graf, Raulerson & Middleton. She worked closely with Middleton during her 13 years as an associate and partner with the firm. She described Middleton as "the consummate lawyer’s lawyer" and "the most dedicated professional I have ever had the privilege to work with." "To use the word ‘mentor’ does not begin to describe his influence on me. He set a standard that has truly guided me from my first tremulous days as a lawyer," Conboy said. "I watched intently as he reassured fretful clients, as he negotiated with tough opponents, as he cross-examined witnesses with a surgeon’s precision. I marveled at his ability to manage a staggering caseload with unfailing thoroughness and attention to detail. I witnessed his unparalleled commitment to better our profession and community." DeGrandpre recalled that while serving on the NHBA Board of Governors, Middleton was urged by his fellow board members to represent attorney Bob Gross, who had been arrested during a protest against the Seabrook nuclear power plant. Middleton willingly took on the task of representing a fellow lawyer, DeGrandpre said. As she mentioned his somewhat impatient manner, Conboy said that her goal in describing Middleton was "not to paint a picture of a man who cannot possibly be real." That slight flaw, however, cannot overshadow his many accomplishments, she added. "While Jack’s impatience can be daunting, it has resulted in his achieving more in one professional lifetime than might reasonably be expected in three…. His impatience can be forgiven because it is motivated by the desire to make a difference. And he has surely done that," said Conboy. The gala Bar Foundation Silver Anniversary reception was preceded by the Foundation’s Past Chairs’ Reception. That program, hosted by Tony McManus, immediate past chair of the New Hampshire Bar Foundation, was a gathering of major donors, board members and special friends of the Bar Foundation to celebrate the Foundation’s past, present and future. It featured stories and reminiscences about the humble beginnings of the Bar Foundation, a presentation of the Bar Foundation’s strategic planning report and a discussion of the future of the Foundation by current Foundation Chair Emily Gray Rice. The Foundation Board’s Advancement of Justice Committee also provided a report on the organization’s fundraising programs and accomplishments over the past year.
|
|
Home | About the Bar | For Members | For the Public | Legal Links | Publications | Online Store New Hampshire Bar Association |
