Schuylkill County lawyers and judges continued a decades-long tradition Friday at the Law Library by hanging pictures of the county bar association’s last two presidents, Sudhir R. Patel and Anthony James Urban.
“I’ve been really proud to improve our image as lawyers,” Patel, who served in 2012 and 2013, told about 40 people who gathered for the ceremony. “I’ve been fortunate.”
Urban, who served in 2014 and 2015, also credited his fellow lawyers for his success as president.
“Anybody I ever asked to do anything, they always stepped up and they never said no,” he said.
Patel’s and Urban’s pictures join those of dozens of other past presidents at the library on the courthouse’s fourth floor. Each association president serves a two-year term as the leader of the county’s lawyers.
Patel is a partner at Fanelli, Evans & Patel, while Urban is a partner at Urban Law Offices. Each firm is located in Pottsville.
Current association President Stanley J. Burke said each man made a significant contribution, much like their predecessors.
“This ceremony is a great and long-standing tradition,” Burke said. “I really learned a lot from both of them.”
Patel said the highlight of his service was the expansion of community service by association members. That service included coat drives, food drives and bicycle drives for less fortunate adults and children in the community, along with efforts to combat distracted driving, he said after the ceremony.
He also said the chance to lead local lawyers was an honor.
“Just having an opportunity to serve and be the face of the bar association for two years” was an honor, Patel said.
Urban said after the ceremony that two events highlighted his term, the association’s celebration of its 100th anniversary and the two-day session of the state Superior Court in Pottsville.
“It shows that we persevered and we continue to do good things,” Urban said of the centennial celebration.
He also said serving the community and its lawyers was an honor, but one that took its toll.
“It was a lot of work,” Urban said. “It was worthwhile, but it’s a job you only want to do once.”