THE VERDICT
January, 2003

McHugh Receives Justice Musmanno Award

“He is highly intelligent – an authentic intellectual with vision that sees beyond the immediate and obvious – well respected, charitable, altruistic and generous, genuinely modest and incredibly humble.  He is totally and unequivocably devoted to the community in which he resides, the profession in which he works and the people with whom he shares the world.”  With these words, S. Gerald Litvin warmly introduced this year’s recipient of the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association’s prestigious Justice Michael A. Musmanno Award, Gerald A. McHugh, Jr.

The evening began as PTLA President Steve Wigrizer welcomed a capacity crowd of judges, lawyers, family and friends in the Grand Ballroom of the Park Hyatt at the Bellevue to celebrate in the presentation of the Musmanno Award to Jerry McHugh. 

Following the history of the award, Wigrizer read a congratulatory letter written by Governor-elect Edward Rendell: “I can think of no one who is more deserving of this honor than Jerry.  As both a lawyer and Philadelphian, he has been dedicated to helping individuals who are less fortunate.  Jerry has used his education and expertise to help exact change not only in his community, but across Pennsylvania.  He has been a tremendous advocate for  injured and vulnerable citizens."

Donald Matusow, 1995 recipient of the Musmanno Award 1983 PTLA President, was on the agenda.  Chronicling McHugh’s untiring legislature efforts on behalf of the association and our clients, Matusow  began by describing Jerry McHugh as “A man for      seasons.  Few have done as much  to protect our clients rights.  He is the champion of  many causes and he meets  every challenge that comes his way.   He is a rare and gifted individual who makes lives better.”

In spite of the difficulties in  getting any legislation passed in Harrisburg.  Matusow noted that Jerry McHugh has been instrumental in major successes.  McHugh wrote a magnificent position paper seeking a Minor’s Tolling Statute and was instrumental in getting that Statue passed in 1984.  This reform of the statue of limitations for tort claims of children was a huge step forward in offering protections to our children, Matusow said.  “Many times our enemies have tried to abridge or outright appeal this statue, only to be met by Jerry McHugh.  They learned quickly that, quiet is not weak.”  McHugh drafted Amendments to the Wrongful Death Act, that were unanimously adopted by the General Assembly, to enable children to obtain full recovery if a parent died after a lawsuit was filed.

“He never shirks.  He never seeks the spotlight,”  Matusow said.  “Inevitably the spotlight found him and gradually McHugh took over the leadership role in the legislative battles.  Along with his intellect and advocacy skills, McHugh developed a trust and credibility level with legislators and our opponents.  Credibility is earned, not bestowed.”  Matusow stated, “and the credibility that McHugh possesses has paid huge dividends for our efforts in Harrisburg.”

Steve Wigrizer next introduced Jerry Litvin, the 1989 Musmanno Award recipient and President.

“McHugh is an unusual human being Litvin said.  “I have known him for  21 years and I never met anyone who disliked him.”  Sharing some aspects of McHugh’s qualities with the  audience,  he began with McHugh’s Jesuit education and  scholastic achievements. A graduate of St. Joseph’s Prep, St. Joseph’s College, and the University of Pennsylvania, Litvin pointed out that McHugh was “always at the top of his class,  always an honor student, Valedictorian in college, Law Review  at Penn, and clerk for two distinguished judges; Edmund Spaeth and Alfred Luongo. You name it   Jerry has done it. He published two books before his graduation from law school            dealing with Christian  faith; the other with the criminal justice system.”

Noting McHugh’s involvement with the community, Litvin said “McHugh has never lived more than three blocks from where he was born –  during the years of racial tension and urban strife, when people who could afford to move to the suburbs, did – Jerry, his wife Maureen, and their four children, stayed where they were in West Philadelphia.  They started a reclamation of the neighborhood – spearheading efforts to rid the neighborhood of drugs, turning abandoned houses into gardens, dilapidated stores into a farmers market, negotiating with the City for funds, and encouraging people to reclaim their neighborhood.”

Detailing McHugh’s pro bono work, Litvin said, “McHugh is currently President of the Philadelphia Bar Foundation and is in his second term as chair of the Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts (IOLTA).  What is amazing is what he does.  He is a hands-on guy.  He begins by using his imagination and creativity, cutting expenses, raising more money, so that the funds that are generated go to the agencies and needy people for whom it is intended.  At the Philadelphia Bar Association and Community Legal Services, he is a champion of pro bono.”

McHugh is co-founder of Hospitality House in North Philadelphia, a facility devoted to helping ex-offenders get back into life.  This home and rehabilitation and recovery treatment center has become a model throughout the United States.  He is also a founder of Lawyers Concerned for Kids and the creator and founder of  Little Angels, a thrift store that provides children with clothing and toys and ex-offenders with jobs.  Litvin continued, “Jerry is one of Pennsylvania’s most respected trial lawyers, not only because of his extraordinary  verdicts and settlements, but because of his creativity and absolutely brilliant advocacy.  He was recently elected a fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, an organization of only 500 members.  He has just been recently notified that he is being included in the latest edition of Best Lawyers in America, and he has been identified as the only non-elected official in the list of the top 25 most influential persons in state.  He is an accomplished writer and lecturer.  Because of his scholarship and insight, the two-volume treatise on Pennsylvania tort law is considered a classic.  Even though my name is on the spine along with his, the book is pure and genuine McHugh.”

Addressing McHugh, Litvin said, “You have frequently mentioned that I was your mentor, but there is no doubt that I have learned a lot more from you about being a trial lawyer and about life.  Jerry, you are so damned competent, inherently decent, exceedingly versatile, if the word Rabbi means teacher, ‘top of the morning to you, Rabbi McHugh’.

“You have taught all of us in the profession how we should conduct ourselves as lawyers in general and as trial advocates.  In the Jewish culture there is a word, guteneh neschume, which means a good soul.  Well, Jerry , good Jesuit you be for the past two decades you have always seen my most personal candidate for a guteneh neschume.  Tonight you are everyone’s choice as Justice Michael Musmanno honoree of 2002, as you lead the way  for truth, justice, service, dignity and honor in  the causes we pursue.

Presenting the award Litvin said, “I know of no one who deserves this honor more  than you.  Congratulations.”

Accepting the award after standing ovation, Jerry McHugh addressed the audience and gave one of the most memorable acceptance speeches in the history of the Musmanno award.  Jerry started by noting that to a person to whom much is given, then much is expected.”  After reminding all PTLA members of the power they have been given and noting that much has been given to lawyers, and to trial lawyers, Jerry challenged them to go forward and   earn the mantle of  trial lawyer. “What I would ask is that as we go forward and we prepare for  what are difficult times ahead, we make sure that what we say matches what we do, for only then can we truly claim this legacy of Justice Musmanno.” Jerry’s  remarkable speech is reprinted  separately  in this issue of the Verdict.

Click here to read Mr. McHugh's acceptance speech.