Release: Immediate
Contact: David Stawasz, Stephen Roulier or Barbara Campanella
150th Anniversary of Superior Court Celebrated at School of Law
Posted November 2, 2009
In commemoration of the 150th Anniversary of the Massachusetts Superior Court, Western New England College hosted a symposium on October 14, entitled "Keeping Gideon's Promise," at the School of Law. The event featured judges, lawyers, and legal scholars that explored the evolution of the right to counsel by discussing the case of Gideon v. Wainright, which established the right of anyone charged with a crime to legal representation by an attorney. They compared the outcomes of that case to the case of Lavallee v. The Justices in Hampden Superior Court, which has affirmed the need for vigilance to ensure that the promise of representation is kept.
The keynote speaker for the event was Anthony Lewis, a Pulitzer Prize winning author. His talk, "Gideon and the Right to Counsel," was followed by a panel consisting of Attorney Vincent A. Bongiorni, Attorney Michael O. Jennings, and Associate Justice of the Massachusetts Appeals Court Honorable Ariane D. Vuono. Moderated by U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts Judge Michael A. Ponsor, the panel focused on the case of Lavallee v. The Justices in Hampden Superior Court in discussing "Lavallee: Lessons Learned."
Later that night, the Hampden County Bar Association held its Annual Judges' Night Dinner in Rivers Memorial Hall which featured Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Margaret H. Marshall as keynote speaker. The event was sponsored by the Hampden County Committee of the Massachusetts Superior Court 150th Anniversary Program and Western New England College School of Law.
To view more photos from the event, click here or visit the Campus Photos page.
Western New England College is a private, independent, coeducational institution founded in 1919. Located on an attractive 215-acre suburban campus in Springfield, Massachusetts, the College serves 3,700 students, including 2,500 full-time undergraduate students. Undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs are offered through the College's Schools of Arts and Sciences, Business, Engineering, and Law.
Follow Us!
Media Contacts
Dave Stawasz
Associate Director of Media Relations and Internal Communications
office: 413-796-2026
mobile: 413-214-8001
Steve Roulier
AVP for Marketing and
External Affairs
office: 413-782-1520
mobile: 413-563-2704
In The Media
Brenda Garton
The Republican
11/10/2009
Kathy Reid
WWLP-TV 22
11/10/2009
Eric Gouvin
BusinessWest
11/9/2009
Tim Vercellotti
WBUR
11/6/2009
Erin Buzuvis
Inside Higher Education
11/3/2009
Contact Information
For more information about a news item or to list an event, please email the Office of Marketing and Communications, or call 413-782-1420. For all other requests pertaining to the College, please use our contact forms.