MONTGOMERYBAR.ORG
SIDEBAR FEATURE
Setting the Legal Profession on Fire By The Honorable Joseph P. Walsh
S
The Honorable Thomas M. Del Ricci
aint Ignatius of Loyola would often end letters to his fellow Jesuits going off to missions with the Latin expression ite, inflamate amnia, i.e. “go forth and set the world on fire.” The Honorable Thomas M. Del Ricci certainly took this missive to heart upon graduation from his many beloved Jesuit schools: Saint Joseph’s Preparatory School, Saint Joseph’s University and Loyola University of New Orleans School of Law. To define Judge Del Ricci in a single word, the term “passionate” comes to mind. This passion was recently acknowledged and rewarded. On November 17, 2016, Judge Del Ricci accepted The Honorable Francis X. McClanaghan award in front of his adoring family, his friends and his colleagues at The Union League of Philadelphia (140 S. Broad Street). This prestigious award is presented annually by the Saint Joseph’s University Law Alumni Section to an alumnus in honor of his accomplishments in the field of law as well as the pride and distinction he has brought to Saint Joseph’s University throughout a distinguished career. Past recipients of this award include giants in the legal community such as Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice James McDermott, Superior Court Judge James Cavanaugh, U.S. District Judge Gerald McHugh, A. Charles Peruto, and Philadelphia Mayor William Green, to name just a few. In January, the Honorable Thomas Del Ricci will be sworn into office as the President Judge for the Court of Common Pleas, Montgomery County. He was unanimously elected to this position in October by his peer jurists. Judge Del Ricci will no doubt
bring his great passion and work ethic to this position as he has in every professional role he has undertaken. Considered one of the preeminent land use attorneys in Montgomery County, Thomas Del Ricci was elected to bench in 1997. Since his election, Judge Del Ricci has maintained an austere work schedule; he is often the first to arrive at the courthouse each day. For those who practice civil litigation in Montgomery County, you are well aware of the sea change effectuated by the Civil Division Administrative Judge’s cleansing of the decades old backlog. In 2011, judges throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania had an opportunity to see his passion, vision and work ethic first hand while Judge Del Ricci served as the President of the Pennsylvania Trial Judges. It was in this role that he initiated the program “Judges Concerned About Judges.” This program provides jurists in Pennsylvania who suffer from addiction or mental health issues with the opportunity to reach out for assistance from their colleagues. Because the data is more qualitative than quantitative, there is no definitive count of the lives this program has saved. “Teach us to give and not to count the cost,” Saint Ignatius implores us. Over the decades, the Honorable Thomas Del Ricci has given so much to his family and loyal friends, the Jesuit schools which educated him, the legal profession he respects and the residents of Montgomery County who he continues to serve. As he assumes the role of President Judge in January, Tom Del Ricci is reminded that “The Hawk Will Never Die.”
WINTER 2016-17 23