SIDEBAR SPRING 2021 - 25

MONTGOMERYBAR.ORG

In Memory of
Kathleen M. Martin, Esquire, CELA
July 23, 1952 - June 28, 2020
By Rebecca A. Hobbs, Esq., and Michelle C. Berk, Esq.

Davenport Award Winner!
Lauren Hughes, Esq.
Lauren is a Senior Assistant Solicitor with the
Montgomery County Solicitor's Office. She serves
as the sole legal advisor for the County's Health
and Human Services Department, which includes
the Health Department, Aging and Adult Services,
Department of Mental Health / Developmental
Disabilities / Early Intervention, and the Office of
Drug and Alcohol and Veterans Affairs. Lauren also
represents the County and its officials and employees
in all litigation, including corporate, real estate, code
enforcement, and social service matters.
Lauren's commitment to public and volunteer
service are truly inspirational. She is a fierce and
passionate advocate for racial justice and has drawn
from that passion to become a true leader of diversity
efforts, both at the MBA and in the community.
Her work organizing and moderating our Criminal
Justice Panel was outstanding, and resulted in a fresh,
honest and important discussion among not only
members of the Bar, but members of the community
as well. She was equally passionate and instrumental
in the development of our " We Need to Talk " series,
which confronted issues of race and injustice as we've
never done before. Lauren has a unique capability
of tackling difficult conversations with honesty,
empathy, and courage, a key factor in her receiving this
prestigious award.
Be on the lookout for information about the
evolution of the Davenport Award in future issues.
Maybe YOU will be inspired to work to become the
next awardee!

A Scholarship has been created in Memory of Kathleen
M. Martin, Esquire, CELA. The Elder Law Committee
of the Montgomery Bar Association will endeavor to
make this a long-standing tradition. She presented CLEs
and always authored sections of the MBA Elder Law
Handbook since its inception. Kathy was an esteemed
and respected member of the Montgomery County and
state-wide legal community, and a leader in Elder Law, as
one of the first Certified Elder Law Attorneys (CELA) in
Pennsylvania. We attended many state and national Elder
Law Conferences together. She also made a tremendous
impact locally with her involvement in many community
organizations, such as Girl Scouts, YWCA, Visiting Nurses, TCN Network,
the Chester County Night School and many others, while being involved in
the activities and the devoted matriarch of her closely knit and loving family,
her children and grandchildren. Although she fought a long battle, she never
complained and was always smiling and a true friend, colleague and mentor,
selflessly giving of her wisdom and guidance.
The start of Kathy's career was in home health care. She was associated
with the Visiting Nurse Association of Pottstown and Vicinity as their nursing
supervisor. Later in life, Kathy decided to pursue law. She graduated from
Widener University of Law in 2002 and, for two years, participated in the
Veterans' Clinic as a student attorney. She then attended Villanova School of
Law as a post JD graduate, and earned an estate planning certificate as part of
the LLM tax program. She started the Elder Law Department at O'Donnell,
Weiss and Mattei in 2002. In 2010, Kathy became Certified as an Elder
Law Attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation as authorized by the
Pennsylvania Supreme Court and, in 2014, she was named a Principal of
O'Donnell, Weiss and Mattei. Kathy was passionate and committed to the
practice of Elder Law, and her comprehensive approach to the practice of law
helped improve the lives of many.
Kathy devoted time to many nonprofit organizations. She enjoyed
volunteering for the PA Senior Law Helpline, presenting regularly at Chester
County Night School on Elder Law topics, writing about elder law topics,
and authoring a biweekly column in The Pottstown Mercury " Legal Ease. "
She was an active member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
and the PA Bar Association Elder Law Council. A project that she was very
proud of was the CLE she organized and presented with PBI -- Alzheimer's
Disease and Other Dementias: Diagnosis, Research and Estate Planning
Issues. She also had recently started editing the PA Elder Law Section
Newsletter and was an active member of the Editorial Board for the National
Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) Journal.
Kathy enjoyed mentoring other elder law attorneys and always encouraged
attorneys new to the practice to call her with questions. She was not stingy
with her time and took the time to listen and respond in a meaningful way.
Her passion for elder law and her mentorship will be greatly missed by all that
loved and knew her.

SPRING 2021 25
http://montgomerybar.org
SIDEBAR SPRING 2021

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