[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 37 (Wednesday, March 5, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E301]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   CONGRATULATING ATTORNEY JOSEPH M. COSGROVE UPON RECEIVING THE W. 
 FRANCIS SWINGLE AWARD FROM THE GREATER PITTSTON FRIENDLY SONS OF ST. 
                                PATRICK

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                         HON. PAUL E. KANJORSKI

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 5, 2008

  Mr. KANJORSKI. Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my esteemed 
colleagues in the House of Representatives to pay tribute to Attorney 
Joseph M. Cosgrove, a native of Pittston, PA, who has been honored by 
the Greater Pittston Friendly Sons of St. Patrick with the W. Francis 
Swingle Award for 2008.
  Attorney Cosgrove is a graduate of St. John's High School and the 
University of Notre Dame and its law school in South Bend, IN. He 
received a master's degree in theology from Notre Dame's graduate 
school and a master of arts degree from Marywood University.
  Attorney Cosgrove was admitted to practice law in Pennsylvania and 
the Federal court system including the United States Supreme Court. In 
2005, he was appointed to the Lawyers Advisory Committee of the U.S. 
Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit on the nomination of the 
Honorable Max Rosenn. He serves as conflict counsel for the Luzerne 
County Court of Common Pleas and is engaged in the private practice of 
law with offices in Forty Fort, PA.
  Attorney Cosgrove served two terms as president of the Luzerne County 
Law and Library Association and is immediate past president of the 
statewide Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys. As 
president of the county bar, some accomplishments include recognition 
of the importance of a local case that made history through a U.S. 
Supreme Court decision 70 years ago. The case, Erie v. Tompkins, 
involved a railroad accident in Hughestown where local resident Harry 
Tompkins was injured. Through Attorney Cosgrove's efforts, the Luzerne 
County Bar and the New York City Bar will conduct a special seminar in 
New York in September. In addition, Attorney Cosgrove created 
``Maysie's Bike Program,'' based on Harry Tompkins' promise to his 
niece, Maysie Cochran. In honor of that promise, the bar now awards 
bicycles to locally needy children and is establishing a children's pro 
bono representation project in Maysie's name.
  Attorney Cosgrove has also worked extensively in the local 
educational field, having served on the Pittston Area School Board for 
one term and is currently a member of the board of trustees for 
Marywood University in Scranton. In addition to this, Attorney Cosgrove 
has been an adjunct faculty member at King's College for more than 20 
years and is currently a member of the selection committee for dean of 
the Wilkes University Law School initiative. He also serves on the 
ethics committee at Misericordia University.
  Attorney Cosgrove is a former chair of the Luzerne County Election 
Board where he served three appointed terms. He is also a member of the 
Screen Actors Guild, AFL/CIO, and has appeared in several motion 
pictures. He also had a recurring role on NBC-TV's hit show, ``The West 
Wing.''
  While an undergraduate student at the University of Notre Dame in the 
late 1970s, he served as ``The Leprechaun,'' the university's sports 
mascot. During his tenure, the ``Fighting Irish'' were football 
national champions, and their basketball team reached the ``Final 
Four.''
  Madam Speaker, please join me in congratulating Attorney Cosgrove on 
this auspicious occasion. The W. Francis Swingle Award is intended to 
honor those who distinguish themselves by honoring their Irish heritage 
and who commit themselves to a high level of community service. In that 
context, Attorney Cosgrove's selection for this award is indeed well 
deserved.

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