Class Notes

Devine Millimet & Branch PA announced in November 2009 that Super Lawyers magazine had named Peter G. Beeson, JD '75 a New England Super Lawyer for 2009 in the area of environmental litigation. Attorneys recognized with this distinction have been chosen by their peers and by the independent research of Law & Politics, and account for just five percent of the lawyers in a given region.

Added 03/01/2010

Michael Goldsmith, BS '72 (ILR), JD '75 of Heber City, UT, died on November 1, 2009, after a three-year battle against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS; ''Lou Gehrig's disease''). Most recently the Woodruff J. Deem Professor of Law at the J. Reuben Clark Law School of Brigham Young University, Prof. Goldsmith also taught at Vanderbilt University Law School from 1980 to 1983. He served as senior staff counsel to the House Select Committee on Assassinations (1977-1979), and as counsel to the New York State Organized Crime Task Force (1983-1985); the latter role culminated with Mr. Goldsmith's testimony against John Gotti. At the J. Reuben Clark Law School, the student body voted Prof. Goldsmith ''Best Professor of the Year'' six times. He continued to teach after being diagnosed with ALS. As an ALS fundraising advocate, Prof. Goldsmith wrote a guest column for Newsweek in November 2008, in which he called on Major League Baseball to do more to fight the disease that ended Gehrig's life prematurely in 1941. One result of Prof. Goldsmith's column was ALS-Lou Gehrig Day, which was recognized on July 4, 2009 (the 70th anniversary of Gehrig's farewell speech), with on-field, pre-game ceremonies in every Major League ballpark. Mr. Goldsmith threw out the ceremonial first pitch that day at Yankee Stadium. He is survived by his wife, Carolyn; his mother, Annita Burg, and her companion, George Imperato; his children, Austin, BS '07 (AG&LS) and Jillian; sister, Edna, and her husband, Tim; sister, Lynn and her husband, Peter Mark, and their children, Zachary, Ian, Melissa, and Allison; and stepsister Evelyn Burg. He was predeceased by his father, Henry; sister, Debra; and stepfather, Klaus.

Added 03/01/2010

James C. Gacioch, JD '75 has retired from private practice and is currently living in Warren, RI (two blocks from the tidal estuary). Peggy and James are enjoying their new home and their first grandchild, born in Boston to son David Gacioch JD '04 and his wife Anne Geiger JD '04: Thomas Geiger Gacioch, September 2, 2009 - 7 lbs 6 ozs, 19 inches long and perfect in every way.