FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Julia Huston, President
Women’s Bar Association of Massachusetts
617-692-2264
wbapresident@womensbar.org
Elisabeth J. Medvedow, Executive Director
Women’s Bar Association of Massachusetts
(617) 973-6666
medvedow@womensbar.org
WBA
President-Elect to be Inducted into Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Up & Coming
Lawyers Hall of Fame
(Boston) August 24, 2007-
The Women's Bar Association of Massachusetts (WBA) is pleased to announce that
WBA President-Elect, Kathy Jo Cook, who was named by Lawyers Weekly as
one of the top five "up and coming" lawyers in 1999, will become the third
member of the Lawyers Weekly Up & Coming Lawyers Hall of Fame. A special
presentation will be made to Ms. Cook at the September 25th
Lawyers Weekly's Annual Networking Cocktail reception, which will also
salute 15 rising stars of the bar.
Ms. Cook is an experienced
civil litigator with the Taunton, Massachusetts firm of
Keches & Mallen, P.C., representing the rights of individuals across the
state in all areas of personal injury, including medical malpractice,
construction site accidents, insurance bad faith and professional liability. Ms.
Cook sets the standard for excellence in her legal work. In fact, she was the
first to argue successfully that an insurance company's appeal of a jury award
to a construction worker and his wife was a bad faith insurance practice in
violation of the Consumer Protection Statute. She obtained a judgment of more
than 4 million dollars against the insurance company in that case.
WBA President Julia
Huston remarked, “The WBA is deeply gratified that Lawyers Weekly has chosen
to honor Kathy Jo by inducting her into the Hall of Fame. In addition to being
an accomplished attorney, Kathy Jo is a leader in the legal community and a
tireless advocate for the rights of women. As the mother of four children and
four stepchildren, Kathy Jo is an excellent role model for women attorneys
attempting to balance the responsibilities of work and family. We look forward
to her assuming the presidency of the WBA, and expect many great things under
her leadership."
Ms. Cook, a resident of
South Natick, is currently the President-Elect of the Women's Bar Association
and will serve as President beginning in March 2008. She is also a member of the
Massachusetts Bar Association (MBA), American Association for Justice (AAJ) and
the Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys (MATA). She has been featured in
the National Law Journal and Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly for her work as Chair
of the Judicial Administration Section Council of the MBA. Ms. Cook lectures on
legal issues at Suffolk University Law School, Southern New England School of
Law and Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education. She has published in the area
of evidence and has received several first place awards in national writing
competitions and trial competitions, including the Association of Trial Lawyers
of America National Trial Competition. Ms. Cook holds degrees from Suffolk
University Law School. and the University of Houston. She is a member of the
Massachusetts state bar, the U.S. District Court for the District of
Massachusetts and the U.S. Appeals Court for the First Circuit.
About the Women’s Bar Association of
Massachusetts
Founded in 1978 by a group of activist
women lawyers, the Women’s Bar Association is one of the oldest and largest
bar associations in the country. Today, the organization boasts a membership
of more than 1300 women lawyers, judges and law students across Massachusetts. The WBA is committed to the
full and equal participation of women in the legal profession and in a just
society. The WBA works to achieve this mission through committees and task
forces, and by developing and promoting a legislative agenda to address
society’s most critical social and legal issues. Other WBA activities
include drafting amicus briefs, studying employment issues affecting women,
encouraging women to enter the judiciary, recognizing the achievement of
women in the law, and providing pro bono services to women in need
through supporting its charitable sister organization, the Women’s Bar
Foundation. For more information, visit
www.womensbar.org.
