Spring Dinner 'Ducks, Avoids, and Evades'

The Lawrence Bar Association held its annual Spring Dinner at the North Andover Country Club on Tuesday. Despite the lingering snow, the members of the LBA gathered to honor one of its distinguished members and to hear from one of the legal community's strongest voices. LBA President Mark Machera and former President Jim Krasnoo each provided context for the evening and the introductions. 

The LBA honored Mary McCabe with its Leadership Award, given to someone who exemplifies the model characteristics of a lawyer both with their clients and in the community.  Upon accepting the award, Judge McCabe was quick to share the spotlight with so many who gave so much of themselves helping kids with special needs to attend camp. She also noted the importance and the uniqueness of the Lawrence Bar Association - and some of its members by name - as serving important roles in the community and in her own development.  

Hon. Nancy Gertner was the featured speaker for the evening, and provided thoughts on the importance of the judiciary in the lives of people appearing before it in a speech titled "Duck, Avoid, Evade: The Problem with Federal Courts". She noted that it should not be the goal of the judiciary - despite its regular insistence to the contrary - to focus on 'clearing cases off its plate' but rather to give the cases, and more importantly the people involved, which was exemplified in her poignant anecdotes about people to appear before her. 

For a full gallery of photos from the evening, click on the photo below.