[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 35 (Thursday, March 24, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: March 24, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                    TRIBUTE TO WALTER H. McLAUGHLIN

                                 ______


                         HON. MARTIN T. MEEHAN

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 24, 1994

  Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to one of 
Massachusetts, legal giants, Walter H. McLaughlin Sr., who recently 
passed away at age 87. Chief Justice McLaughlin was an outstanding 
jurist, a dedicated public servant and a devoted family man. His 
passing will be mourned by countless citizens who benefited from his 
wisdom and expertise during a distinguished career that spanned seven 
decades.
  Born in 1907 and educated in Cambridge public schools, Judge 
McLaughlin worked full time at a bakery to pay for his night classes at 
Suffolk Law School. After receiving his juris doctor in 1931, he began 
practicing law with his two brothers at a Boston law firm. It did not 
take long for Judge McLaughlin to establish a reputation as one of the 
State's leading trial attorneys. A local newspaper reported, ``If 
Walter McLaughlin was your lawyer, he's with you 100 percent; your 
adversary's position is either illegal, unconstitutional, or just dead 
wrong.''
  Judge McLaughlin's legal expertise was recognized by the 
Massachusetts administration, resulting in his appointment as Justice 
of the Massachusetts Superior Court in 1967 by Governor Volpe. Three 
years later, Governor Sargent named him chief justice. In his 7 years 
at the helm of the court, Judge McLaughlin instituted sweeping reform 
of the Massachusetts jury selection system, saving the State hundreds 
of thousands of dollars in the process. He was noted for his skillful 
and even-handed leadership, as well as his ability to foster a great 
``esprit de corp'' among the judges.
  Judge McLaughlin was never too busy to offer others the benefits of 
his years of judicial experience. He served as a trustee of Suffolk 
University and as chairman of its Law School Committee. He was a fellow 
of the American College of Trial Lawyers and was past president of the 
Massachusetts Bar Association, which awarded him its highest 
distinction, the gold medal, in 1973. Upon stepping down from the bench 
in 1977 at the mandatory retirement age of 70, he began a second career 
in the practice of law, as a counsel to the firm of Gilman, McLaughlin 
and Hanrahan. In addition to maintaining an active litigation practice, 
he served as a valued senior advisor, helping new associates make the 
transition from recent graduates to seasoned professionals. Young 
lawyers, as well as the veterans, quickly learned that the best way to 
tackle a sticky legal question was to ``run it by the judge''.
  Despite all the demands of his career, Judge McLaughlin made his 
family a priority. He and his wife of 61 years, Alice, raised two sons, 
Walter Jr. and Robert, who practiced law with him, and a daughter, 
Alice Grayson. He also took great pride in his 12 grandchildren, five 
of whom, thus far, have pursued legal careers, and seven great-
grandchildren.
  Mr. Speaker, Judge McLaughlin exemplified the very best in public 
service and leaves a rich legacy to his family and the people of 
Massachusetts.

                          ____________________