BOSTON (May 1, 2008) -- The Massachusetts Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates hosted a Law Day reception at the Boston College Club. More than 100 of the Commonwealth’s best trial lawyers attended. Associate Justice Mitchell Sikora, Jr. of the Massachusetts Appeals Court delivered the keynote address, in which he emphasized the central role of the jury in American civil justice, and the key role played by a well trained and well prepared trial lawyer in assisting jurors as they filter though evidence, argument and jury instructions.

ABOTA’s 2008 National President William C. Callaham of Sacramento, Calif., attended the event as well as ABOTA’s 1996 National President Gordon R. Rather, Jr., of Little Rock, Ark. Mr. Rather spoke on the history of ABOTA and the benefits of membership. ABOTA Foundation President Joel W. Collins, Jr., of Columbia, S.C., spoke of the many educational programs sponsored by the Foundation, particularly the dramatic success of the “Justice by the People” program that the Foundation makes available, for free, to middle-school students and educators across the country through a partnership with Scholastic, Inc.

DALLAS (March 31, 2008) – Marshall T. Hunt, who served as National President of the American Board of Trial Advocates in 1979, died on March 29. Mr. Hunt, 87, was from Dana Point, Calif., and a member of ABOTA’s Los Angeles Chapter.

At the organization’s National Board of Directors Meeting in Beverly Hills, Calif., Jan. 25-26, Mr. Hunt helped ABOTA celebrate its 50th anniversary year as one of the founding members of the organization. He became an ABOTA member on June 6, 1958.

Mr. Hunt was critically injured in the parking lot of a Riverside, Calif., restaurant when a vehicle struck him earlier this month. He was in a coma since the accident. Mr. Hunt is survived by his, wife, Sally.

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