John F. Moriarty Scholarship
The John F. Moriarty Scholarship was established by the Hampden County Bar Association through contributions of its members and from donations made in memory of the late Superior Court Judge John F. Moriarty of Holyoke. Applicants must have been residents of Hampden or Hampshire County for at least five years and must have been admitted or to or already attending a certified law school. Preference is given to Hampden County Residents. The scholarship is based on merit and financial need. Click here to apply.
If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to the John F. Moriarty Scholarship, please send your check payable to the John F. Moriarty Scholarship to the Hampden County Bar Foundation, P.O. Box 559, Springfield, MA 01102-0559 or click here to donate online. Click here for a list of all recipients.
Colonel Archer B. Battista Veterans Scholarship
The Hampden County Bar Association created the Colonel Archer B. Batista Veterans Scholarship in memory of our Past President, dear friend, and colleague, Colonel Archer B. Battista.
Colonel Archer B. Battista, USAFR (Ret.) had a deep love and devotion to the men and women who served in our armed forces. After thirty-three years of commissioned service as active duty and as a member of the United States Reserve Air Force, he retired in 2001 as a command pilot in the grade of Colonel. During his military career, he participated in over two hundred missions in the Vietnam War, for which he was awarded two Distinguished Flying Crosses and twenty Air Medals, and multiple missions to Saudi Arabia during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
Upon completion of his active duty service, Colonel Battista graduated from Western New England University School of Law. From 1977 until 2013, he practiced law while remaining engaged in his Air Force commitment to flying assignments and middle and senior military management missions. Colonel Battista was dedicated to the organized bar and as a result served as president of the Hampden County Bar Association, a member of its board of directors, and an ex officio director.
Colonel Battista was an active part of the team that successfully advocated on behalf of aircrews and maintainers who flew and worked on aircraft used to spread Agent Orange. After years of administrative battles and litigation, the Department of Veterans Affairs conceded the legitimacy of the medical claims of these men and women who were diagnosed with so-called Agent Orange presumptive diseases and opened its system of medical care and other benefits to Air Force Reserve colleagues who were exposed at Westover Air Base and other Air Force Reserve bases.
Remaining true to his commitment to military veterans, after his retirement from the practice of law Colonel Battista was instrumental in establishing a Veterans Treatment Court with jurisdiction over the three counties in Western Massachusetts. This Court addresses the unique situation of military veterans involved in the criminal justice system, offering specialized supervision and care to those who have sacrificed so much for their country and its citizens.
As a result of his advocacy for veterans, in 2015, Colonel Battista received the Adams Pro Bono Publico from the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts.
Through this scholarship Colonel Battista, his family, and the Hampden County Bar Association hope to continue Colonel Battista’s dedication to help members of the armed services.
Applicants for this scholarship must be a veteran with an Honorable Discharge or a current member of the United States Military and must be admitted for the upcoming year to an accredited law school. The scholarship is based on merit and financial need. Click here to apply.
If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to the Colonel Archer B. Battista Veterans Scholarship, please send your check payable to the Colonel Archer B. Battista Veterans Scholarship to the Hampden County Bar Association, P.O. Box 559, Springfield, MA 01102-0559 or click here to donate online. Click here for a list of all recipients.
David A. Ladizki Law School Scholarship
The Hampden County Bar Foundation established the David A. Ladizki Scholarship through a generous donation from Attorney David A. Ladizki, who passed away in 2021. Dave practiced Bankruptcy and Real Estate law in Agawam and wanted to establish a scholarship for local students attending an accredited law school to help them in their journey. Dave believed in networking and education and had a number of professional memberships, including the Commercial Law League, International Commercial Law League, Bankruptcy Bar Association, Estate Planning Council Lawyers of Hampden County, MA Bar Foundation, Hampden County and Hampshire County Bar Association in the MA District Court, CT District Court and the US Supreme Court. Also, the Real Estate and Bankruptcy Law section of Springfield, REBA Law Association, and the Nation Elder Law Association, and Dave was a member and was on the Springfield Board of Realtors. He was also a former member of the Boston BAR Association. He was a Notary Public in both Massachusetts and Connecticut. Click here to apply.
If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to the David A. Ladizki Scholarship, please send your check payable to the David A. Ladizki Scholarship to the Hampden County Bar Foundation, P.O. Box 559, Springfield, MA 01102-0559 or click here to donate online.