Acknowledgements
The Task Force is forever
indebted to those many organizations, individuals, volunteers and others who
have made its efforts possible and whose support has been indispensable to its
continuing ability to serve its intended purpose: to provide legal services to individual homeowners facing
foreclosure. While we commit the
unpardonable sin of naming but a few – and by failing to name the many
– there are some whose contributions must be acknowledged:
Thomas A. Kennefik, III,
Esq., the Past President of the Hampden County Bar Association who was
receptive to the concept of the formation of the Foreclosure Task Force, and
the subsequent Presidents, Attorneys Mark J. Albano, Charles R. Casartello, Jr.
and Barbara M. Hyland and the Boards of Directors of the Association who have
unwaveringly supported the activities and efforts of the Task Force and of its
partnership with the Alliance.
Executive Director Noreen M. Nardi has consistently and unfalteringly
participated in the efforts of both the Task Force and the Alliance with a
personal dedication to the cooperative efforts between the legal services
organizations and the private bar.
Justin H. Dion, Esq., who
chaired the Hampden County Bar AssociationŐs Business and Bankruptcy Committee
and its successor, the Bankruptcy Section. He has been both an advocate for the work of the Foreclosure
Task Force and an untiring hands-on participant as a volunteer.
Gordon P. Shaw, Esq.,
Executive Director of the Massachusetts Justice Project, Jamie Williamson and
her successors at the Massachusetts Fair Housing Center, Guy Lescault, Esq.,
formerly Interim Director of MJP and subsequently of Western Mass Legal
Services and others from the non-profit constituency that so willing has
participated in the unique organizational structure that is the Alliance. Pat Walsh Ollari of WMLS and Michelle
LaPlante of the Hampden County Legal Clinic have been stellar in their
performance in maintaining efficiency in the intake and referral process that
is the essence of what the Task Force has undertaken.
The special relationship with
the Massachusetts Bar Association
requires an acknowledgement of the indispensable efforts of Attorney
Elizabeth Barton and MBA President Denise Squillante who appointed a Massachusetts
Bar Association Joint Foreclosure Legislation Task Force. Pat Plasse, of the MBAŐs Western
Massachusetts Office has been particularly helpful in implementing a meaningful
dialogue.
Massachusetts Continuing
Legal Education (MCLE) has been supportive of the efforts to provide training
and continuing legal education to the Task Force Volunteers by providing
scholarships to individuals who have made a commitment to provide bro bono services to qualified homeowners.
Attorney General Martha
Coakley is due special acknowledgement for her efforts on behalf of those who
had been the victims of predatory lending practices and subject to abusive
foreclosure practices and, more specifically, for her making available to WMLS
and MJP a special grant that allowed for the hiring of Attorney Francis K.
Morris to work with and in support of the Alliance and its purposes.
Mayor Dominic Sarno of
Springfield, Gale D. Candaras, Esq. of the Massachusetts Senate and other
local, state and federal elected officials have demonstrated their commitment
to and support of the efforts of the Task Force.
Finally, we would like to
thank E. Bruce Berman, Jr. of Catalyst New Media for his valuable contribution
of time and creative effort in designing and implementing the Foreclosure Task
Force website and this Home Page.
Back to the Foreclosure Tutorial Homepage.
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