Search

Member Spotlight

Issue March 2013

Cowan to serve as the Massachusetts interim U.S. senator

William "Mo" Cowan has been selected by Gov. Deval L. Patrick to serve as the Massachusetts interim U.S. senator. Patrick's former chief of staff, Cowan will hold the post until a June 25 special election determines who will succeed John F. Kerry, who resigned after being named Secretary of State.

Patrick announced his selection of Cowan on Wednesday, Jan. 30 in the Governor's Council chambers at the State House.

"The governor went with his most trusted confidant. Cowan has the wisdom and practicality to be a great steward for the state," said Martin W. Healy, MBA chief legal counsel and chief operating officer.

"Mo has been at the forefront of every one of Patrick's inside political appointments and complex legal decisions. He enjoys a great working relationship with federal and state office holders," Healy said. "The historic appointment of an African American U.S. senator could not have been handled better by the governor."

Hired by Patrick in 2009 as his legal counsel, Cowan was promoted to chief of staff one year later. He stepped down from his position in November with plans to return to the private sector.

Flynn wins MBA iBelong campaign challenge

The Massachusetts Bar Association is pleased to announce member Judith M. Flynn has won the association's iBelong campaign challenge. The iBelong campaign was established in November 2012 and allows members to share their personal reasons for belonging to the MBA at www.massbar.org/iBelong. As the 2013 iBelong winner, Flynn has received a free 2013-14 MBA membership.

"The whole (of the MBA) is greater than the sum of its parts: there is not really one distinguishing element of the MBA that makes it the valuable resource that it is, but the totality of its many resources. The educational programs, networking, advocacy, publications, member groups, events, etc. The MBA is a great value, providing far more than the annual cost in benefit," wrote Flynn in her winning submission.

Flynn is the founder of the Elder Law Office of Judith M. Flynn in Rockland, where she specializes in long-term care planning, estate planning, assisted living, crisis planning, special needs planning and conservatorships.

An MBA member since 2003, Flynn joined because of the valuable resources the MBA has to offer. Recently, Flynn has greatly benefited from the numerous MBA educational seminars and resources highlighting changes in the Massachusetts Uniform Probate Code and the Massachusetts Uniform Trust Code.

"The educational programs and networking were most important to me as a new attorney," Flynn said. "The educational programs are just as important to me today [as they were when I started out] since nearly every aspect of my practice area has been affected by significant changes in the laws over the past few years. The On Demand programs are a valuable resource to me as a sole practitioner, allowing me to view programs at my convenience."

Fee named trustee of Parmenter VNA and Community Care Inc.

Massachusetts Bar Association member Michael C. Fee was recently named to the board of trustees of Parmenter VNA and Community Care Inc. in Wayland. Parmenter VNA and Community Care Inc. is an independent, non-profit provider of home care and hospice services to residents of MetroWest, founded in 1954.

As a shareholder at the law firm of Pierce & Mandell PC in Boston, Fee's practice concentrates in the areas of commercial, real estate, and health care litigation.

Fee has been involved with the MBA for many years. From 2002 to 2004, he served as chair of the MBA's Property Law Section Council. He formerly served on the MBA's Budget and Finance Committee, as well as the Executive Management Board.

Fee has also served on a variety of non-profit and municipal boards, and is currently the chairman of the Sudbury Planning Board and a commissioner of the Sudbury Water District. Fee received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Harvard University in 1982 and is a 1988 graduate cum laude from Boston College Law School.