Lawyers e-Journal
Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009
Photograph by
Christine Peterson
MBA President Valerie A. Yarashus presents the Chief Justice Edward F. Hennessey Award to Chief Justice Margaret H. Marshall.
On 10th anniversary, Chief Justice Marshall recognized with Hennessey Award
View photos and video of Marshall's annual address to the legal community and the presentation of the Hennessey award
On her tenth anniversary leading the Supreme Judicial Court,
Chief Justice Margaret H. Marshall received the Massachusetts Bar
Association's Chief Justice Edward F. Hennessey Award.
Marshall was recognized with the award at the Fourth Annual
Bench-Bar Symposium, which was held Oct. 21 at the John Adams
Courthouse in Boston. The honor has been bestowed only five times,
including when it was originally given to SJC Chief Justice
Hennessey in 1988.
Marshall is the first woman to serve as chief justice and just the
second to serve as an associate justice. Former Gov. William Weld
appointed Marshall to the SJC in 1996, and in 1999, she was
appointed chief justice by former Gov. A. Paul Cellucci in 1999 and
began her term on Oct. 14, 1999.
Cellucci, now special counsel to McCarter & English LLP in
Boston, told the audience he based his decision on intellect,
courage and leadership.
"I had the great honor of elevating Margaret Marshall to be chief
justice of the Supreme Judicial Court," he said. "The head of our
state's judicial branch has to be an exceptional person."
Utah Supreme Court Chief Justice Christine M. Durham, who
succeeded Marshall as president of the Conference of Chief
Justices, also applauded Marshall.
"She is alive to the promise of the American justice system,"
Durham said, " … and she is alive to defending and preserving
it."
In presenting the award, MBA President Valerie A. Yarashus said,
"She has surpassed all of our highest expectations," noting in
particular Marshall's commitment to access to justice.
Click here to view
photos from the Fourth Annual
Bench-Bar Symposium.
Click here
to view Chief Justice Marshall's
annual address to the legal community.
Click
here to view the presentation of the
Chief Justice Edward F. Hennessey Award to Chief Justice
Marshall.