The Joseph J. Balliro, Sr. Scholarship Fund

Joseph J. Balliro, Sr., 1928–2022

Often referred to as the Dean of the Criminal Defense Bar, Joe Balliro enjoyed the admiration and respect of those who had the good fortune to witness his command of the courtroom, his expert cross-examinations, and his captivating closing arguments.

In a career spanning more than six decades Joe Balliro tried an estimated 500 murder cases and 3,000 criminal cases. His trials included many that captured the attention of the public and paved the way for some of the most influential decisions of the 20th Century, including the 1965 Supreme Judicial Court holding that expanded a felon's protection under a 100 year-old felony-murder rule, the acquittal of a notorious defendant charged in the Great Plymouth Mail Truck Robbery case which was, at the time, the largest cash heist of all time and the 1972 U. S. Supreme Court decision in Eisenstadt v. Baird, that established the right of unmarried persons to possess contraception on the same basis as married couples. He is also known for his representation of a group of citizens injured and one killed by rampaging police officers that resulted in unprecedented Massachusetts homicide convictions against three of those on-duty officers and a substantial award against two police departments ("The King Arthur's case"), the Fells Acre Day Care cases and the record breaking $100 million civil judgment against the DOJ for FBI misconduct in a case that arose from a criminal case he tried 30 years earlier.

Joe was a voracious reader and loved to travel, play tennis, cook, entertain friends, and gather with family. He was a courageous and unrepentant defense attorney, passionate in his belief that every person accused of a crime is entitled to a defense. Cool under pressure and comfortable in the spotlight, he skillfully navigated the public eye during his work on his numerous high-profile cases.

Joe Balliro is remembered by MCLE for his impact on the defense bar and significant influence on the Massachusetts legal community. The practice of criminal law today would not look the same without Joe Balliro. In honor of this legacy, the Joseph J. Balliro, Sr. Scholarship Fund will endow scholarships to attorneys in need of professional development, particularly in the area of criminal law. In this way, it will foster the education of a new generation of criminal law practitioners, ensuring that every case is afforded the high-quality defense that Joe Balliro would have wanted it to have.

DONORS

J. Drew Segadelli