06/18/2017
SAINT THOMAS MORE SOCIETY, SACRAMENTO, ANNOUNCES ATTORNEY PAUL STARKEY AS RECIPIENT OF 2017 AWARD FOR INTEGRITY
The Saint Thomas More Society of Sacramento (STMS) is pleased to announce that our annual Fr. McDermott Award for Integrity will be presented to Sacramento Attorney Paul Starkey at our Annual Feast Day Reception, to be held at Blue Prynt restaurant (815 11th Street) on June 22, 2017, from 5:30-7:30pm. For tickets or information about the Reception, contact Mary Bressi at 916-716-7416 or [email protected]
Paul has earned the Society’s Integrity award for his tireless work on behalf of the poor, including providing legal aid and later directing programs for food, housing, and other assistance through the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Paul’s support of legal aid goes back to the start of his legal career, serving as a staff attorney for Legal Services of Northern California (LSNC) in the Mother Lode Regional Office, covering Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Nevada, Placer and Sierra counties. Vicki Jacobs, a past honoree and current managing partner at Voluntary Legal Services Program, calls Paul a “tireless supporter of legal services for the indigent.” Nanette Aubut, LSNC Development Coordinator has this to say:
"Paul has been a long-time supporter of legal aid and has continued to be active with LSNC. Paul served on the committee for our large annual fundraiser, the Valentine Run - Race for Justice, for many years. Paul has not only served on the committee, but he is one of our top fundraisers for the event and is excellent at encouraging participation. In 2017, his team came in at the #1 fundraising position! Paul has always been wonderful to work with and always willing to lend a helping hand."
Paul is well-known as the long-time captain of Team ‘Gators, raising money and enlisting walkers/runners for the Valentine Fun Run through social media, word of mouth, and even the help of his dog, “Beau.”
Paul was a charter member of the St. Thomas More Society, Sacramento (STMS), and served on the Board from 2005 through 2011. During his time on the Board, he served as membership chair and spurred STMS activities to promote greater member participation. In 2005, Paul served on the Sacramento County Bar Association (SCBA) Board of Directors as the liaison for STMS.
Paul is the recipient of the 2012 Diocesan St. Thomas More Award, given by the Bishop of Sacramento to a member of the legal profession who exemplifies Gospel teachings in his or her personal or professional life.
In addition to his dedication to the legal profession and legal pro bono services, Paul has been active with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, a Catholic lay organization that provides food, shelter and other charity to those in need. Paul serves as the president of the Sacramento Diocesan Council, comprised of 53 conferences in 7 districts. Our Lady of Grace Parish in West Sacramento, where Paul earlier served as conference president, describes Paul this way:
"Paul is a prayerful and faithful member of our parish. Our St. Vincent de Paul ministry serves the poor with home visits, including emergency housing and utilities assistance and household furniture needs. He also assisted in the ministry to the homeless and feeding the poor locally. Paul served as conference president from 2010-2014. With the conference, Paul has worked with City leaders and the police department to facilitate our service to the homeless. He organized the first ever Walk for the Poor in West Sacramento which included participation from local elected officials, the business community and advocates for the poor."
Paul has over 25 years as a state attorney, now serving as Assistant Chief Counsel at the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR). Paul is a long-time member of the SCBA Labor & Employment Section. Paul serves on the board of the Northern California chapter of the Labor & Employment Relations Association. Paul also served as chair of the SCBA Public Law Section (2003), and encouraged a renewed enthusiasm for the field of legal public service. Paul is regarded as a mentor to attorneys and law clerks.
About the Award
The Father McDermott Award for Integrity recognizes persons of high integrity who can often go unnoticed in this hustle and bustle world. The first award was given in 2011 to Bishop Emeritus Francis A. Quinn, under whose auspices the Society was revived and encouraged and who has shown STMS members a model of principled conviction. In 2012, attorney Ronald Blubaugh received the award in recognition of his career of public service and his advocacy and legal service with the Tommy Clinkenbeard Legal Clinic at Loaves and Fishes. The 2013 recipient of the Fr. McDermott Award for Integrity was Sister Jeanne Felion, celebrating her work of over 30 years for youth and seniors of Sacramento through the Stanford Settlement, of which she is Executive Director. In 2014, STMS honored Vicki Jacobs, managing partner at Voluntary Legal Services Program, for her tireless pursuit of equal access and justice for those that might “slip through the cracks.” STMS was proud to add Judge James Mize to this group in 2015, for his lifelong dedication to “wearing the white hat” and helping people through his long involvement with the Voluntary Legal Services Program and the Sharing God’s Bounty program at St. Philomene’s Parish. The 2016 recipient was Sr. Libby Fernandez of Loaves & Fishes for her dedication to the social teachings of the Church.
The Fr. McDermott Award for Integrity is named for the late Rev. Charles Sylvester McDermott, former Vicar for Theological and Canonical Affairs for the Diocese of Sacramento, and a founding member of STMS. Father Sylvester served as the group’s unofficial chaplain and advisor for many years.
The Saint Thomas More Society of Sacramento (STMS) celebrates its 31st year of serving as a source of fellowship for local Catholic attorneys and a forum for interfaith understanding. Open to all, STMS offers a variety of events at an array of venues and times throughout the year.
About STMS
The Saint Thomas More Society, Sacramento (STMS) is an independent organization sponsored by Catholic lawyers, governed by a Board, with its membership open to attorneys and other legal professionals and legislative advocates of any religious persuasion who subscribe to its purposes. The purposes of STMS are to serve as a mutual support group, to foster individual spiritual growth, to further interfaith understanding, to promote the teachings of the Second Vatican Council, and to advocate, encourage, and model respect, civility, and ethics in the practice of law. STMS does not engage in advocacy or take stands on controversial political questions; nor does it engage in fundraising.
STMS became an affiliate of SCBA in 2005 and the officers and directors of STMS have been frequent sponsors of SCBA events, such as the annual Bench-Bar Reception, the District Attorney Candidate’s Forum, and many membership recruitment efforts.
The current Board is as follows:
President: Angela Lai
Vice Presidents: Herb Bolz (Programs) and Thomas Redmon (Membership)
Treasurers: Thomas Frame and Mary Bressi
Recording Secretary: Heather Cline Hoganson
Board Members: Nora Quartuccio and Plauché Villeré
St. Thomas More Societies are generally Roman Catholic lawyer groups, as St. Thomas More is the patron saint of lawyers. There is no national linking of these societies, with various cities or university campuses maintaining autonomous groups for various purposes. In Sacramento, there was an earlier group in the 1950s, and there is evidence of a student group at UOP-McGeorge in the 1980s. The current incarnation in Sacramento was tied to Bishop Quinn’s request, in 1985, to resume the practice of holding an annual Red Mass -- a tradition (from the 13th century) of requesting that the Holy Spirit bless public officials and members of the legal community with guidance and understanding in their work. Because the traditional color of the Holy Spirit is red, priests would wear red vestments, and the lawyers and judges who wore court robes also switched to red for the occasion.
The 2017 Red Mass, sponsored by the Diocese of Sacramento and co-sponsored by STMS, is tentatively set for early October at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament.
For questions or information about STMS, please email [email protected] or call Herb Bolz at (530) 848-7252.
