May 20, 2020

Patricia Walsh Ollari retires after 30 years coordinating pro bono programs in western Massachusetts

This past spring, CLA said farewell and thank you to one of our most dedicated colleagues, Patricia Walsh Ollari. For the last thirty years, Pat has been the face of legal aid’s pro bono work in Western Massachusetts.  She started her career in legal aid after working at the Hampden County District Attorney’s Office and as a police officer in Springfield.  Her service spanned three legal aid programs: Western Mass Legal Services, Massachusetts Justice Project and Community Legal Aid.

“She helped build our pro bono program and it would not exist but for her efforts,” says Gordon Shaw, CLA’s Director of Client Access.  “She served clients with compassion and always ensured that they got the legal support they needed.”

Pat was loved and respected by many in the legal community, and her unrelenting dedication to her clients, not to mention her unforgettable sense of humor, deepened those connections.

Judge Linda Fidnick, First Justice of the Hampshire Probate and Family Court, worked with Pat for many years on the Pro Bono Judicial Forum. Judge Fidnick added “When I heard that Pat was retiring, I was reminded of all the many, many people she helped during her long and outstanding career.  My work with Pat was particularly rewarding as it was directly helpful to low-income folks in Western Massachusetts.  Every year… I would get a call from Pat along these lines ‘Hi, it’s Pat and it is time to get another Pro Bono Judicial Forum on the calendar!’ There have been many causes I have supported over the years, but [the Pro Bono Judicial Forum] became so dear to my heart, thanks to Pat’s enthusiasm and meticulous attention to detail.” Pat organized the annual event where a panel of Probate and Family Court judges, who sit in Western Massachusetts, would speak on topics of interest and answer questions.  In lieu of a fee for the program, attorneys who attended agreed to take one or two pro bono cases per year.  This program allowed judges to demonstrate their support of pro bono legal services, and provided lawyers an organized way to respond to that need.  Judge Fidnick said, “Pat, we will miss you so much, and know that you made a life-changing difference in the lives of many litigants who without you would have been unrepresented.”

On behalf of everyone in the Community Legal Aid family, we thank Pat Wash Ollari for her years of dedication and service to our organization and the clients we serve, and wish her a very happy retirement.