By Kathy Kurtz Ferrari
Staff Writer
10/8/09
Dating back to Colonial days, the Boston Bar Association is among the most venerable professional groups in the country.
Claiming more than 9,500 current members, the lawyers’ guild has a high profile, and guiding the helm is not taken lightly by incoming president John “Jack” Regan, of Milton.
Recently appointed as the 88th president of the BBA, Regan is rolling up his sleeves for what he hopes to be a mutually satisfying one-year term.
“The BBA traces its lineage back to John Adams,” Regan said.
He has specific goals for his commitment, which complements his previous dedication to philanthropic endeavors both near and far.
“We have a strategic plan that we are executing, and there are things that get done in a year and there are things that carry over,” Regan said, as he explained his expectations for his tenure.
Among his priorities are collaboration on issues of diversity in conjunction with minority lawyer groups; budget-related issues in times of economic hardships and how they affect criminal and civil cases; and an effort to assist military personnel with legal issues at home.
“You’re actually running a nonprofit here,” he noted of his role with the BBA, which has a budget of several million dollars. “They have a superb staff that is really exceptional, so that makes life easier.”
His preparation for the job of president came from first serving a term as vice president, then a time as president-elect before assuming the reins of the top position.
He has already found that the job covers a multitude of issues, and he exudes an enthusiasm as he is ready for the challenge.
Regan’s background should qualify him for such a large responsibility. Growing up in Rhode Island, he graduated summa cum laude from the University of Notre Dame, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. (He still proudly wears his “Fighting Irish” class ring.)
From there he received his commission as a Navy officer and served three years as a lieutenant on the destroyer escort USS Bagley during the Vietnam War.
After his service duty, he decided to attend law school, and graduated from New York University Law School. He has spent the last 31 years as a litigation lawyer for the law firm WilmerHale in downtown Boston.
Over the years, Regan has worked on countless boards, offering his know-how to various philanthropies, including the Discovering Justice Board, a nonprofit that reaches out to the community on the subject of civic education on democracy and justice. He has also been involved in an offshoot of the program called Children Discovering Justice, which has involved Mary Gormley, superintendent of the Milton public schools. The program introduces first-grade students to the legal system via the book “Ruby Bridges.” School children from Milton have taken part in the six- to eight-week program that includes a field trip to the courthouse.
Taking dedication to a whole new level, this past June found Regan, along with his wife Joan, and eight students from Roxbury Latin School heading to Africa for two weeks as part of a Habitat for Humanity project. Joan, who is also a nurse, runs the community service program for Roxbury Latin.
“It was really her program, and I just tagged along,” he said.
The trip brought them to Botswana, where they helped to build two homes. They spent time making bricks from a mold and learning about basic construction in a primitive setting.
“It was fantastic. The kids got to work along side three or four native builders. And we got to meet the families,” he said. “The people were astonishingly warm and welcoming.”
They were even treated to a welcoming ceremony, where they met the tribe’s chief.
“For me it was exciting. For the boys, I think it was transforming. I’d go back in a minute,” he said.
Closer to home, one of his longest volunteer commitments has been to the Milton Residences for the Elderly, where he served as a former president and board member for 20 years. He commended the work of other dedicated members of the community such as Tim Martin, former executive director of MRE; William Sullivan, the board’s current president; and Paul Needham, vice president.
“They’ve had wonderful people over there, and there was never a dull moment,” he laughed.
Regan and his wife have been married for 37 years and live in Indian Cliffs. They have two sons, Michael and Christopher. When the boys were young, Regan was an active dad, coaching soccer, baseball and basketball.
“It’s been nice to have the opportunities,” he said, as he looked back on a full and dedicated life. He is anticipating an exciting year during his term as president of the BBA.
“Someone asked me what it’s like and I said it’s like when your kids are in Little League and you take them down to one of those practice facilities. It’s like standing there at the batting machine and you swing at one pitch and before you can even cock the bat for the next one, here comes another pitch,” he joked. “There are just so many things that are coming by. But I think the most rewarding part of it is that the people you work with are really dedicated.”
Listening to him describe his plans for the year ahead, Regan seems ready to take his turn at bat.