The new president of the Massachusetts Bar Association, Jeffery
N. Catalano, received the ceremonial oath of office on Wednesday,
Sept. 14, at a reception attended by prominent judges, MBA
leadership and members, and the friends and families of all. After
being sworn in by Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Ralph D.
Gants, Catalano told the audience, "Dream big, join us in
leadership and thank you for being here to begin this journey with
me."
Catalano was introduced by MBA Past President Leo V. Boyle, who
eschewed a survey of Catalano's resume in favor of an illustration
of his character - a hard worker worthy of his hometown of
Scranton, Pennsylvania, and a genuine collaborator worthy of his
Jesuit upbringing.
"This is a special guy," Boyle said. "He needs to speak for all
of us. … We need to be represented. And as far as I'm concerned,
there's no one better to do that than Jeff Catalano."
Catalano, a partner at Todd & Weld LLP in Boston, called
himself "a humble servant of this great profession," referring to
the practice of law which he swore to "honor and respect" in his
oath. Though Catalano conceded that the MBA cannot single-handedly
solve society's problems, he assured his peers that it can make
important strides toward alleviating those problems in coming
generations, while standing up for those cannot stand up for
themselves.
"This work depends on the contributions of creative leaders like
you," Catalano said, specifically citing the Leadership Academy,
which he aims to develop into an incubator for skilled young legal
professionals and students, armed with the knowledge and firsthand
experience it takes to make a significant difference in communities
across the commonwealth.
"The lofty goal is to make Massachusetts the place where future
great leaders are created," he said. "We can develop leaders of the
bar who can work toward solutions for our problems - who can
navigate the complexities of our society by building coalitions and
forging hybrid solutions."