FLORHAM PARK, N.J. – Sept. 30, 2024 – The Seton Hall University School of Law has awarded global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP Shareholder Kevin G. Walsh the 2024 St. Thomas More Medal. Walsh and his co-recipient, PSEG Associate Counsel-State Regulatory Noreen M. Giblin, were honored at the 40th Annual Red Mass Sept. 27 at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark.
The award recognizes Walsh’s commitment to the law school, the legal profession, and the greater community. A 1998 graduate of Seton Hall Law, Walsh has previously served as acting general counsel to Seton Hall University and is today a member of the board of visitors at Seton Hall Law, where he previously served for many years as a member and co-chair of the Red Mass Committee.
Walsh is the first Greenberg Traurig attorney to receive the St. Thomas More Medal. Past medal honorees at Seton Hall’s Red Mass have included, among many others, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, U.S. Senator Jeffrey Chiesa, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Third Circuit Chief Judge Michael Chagares, U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo, U.S. District Judge William Bassler, New Jersey Supreme Court Justices Marie Garibaldi and Daniel J. O’Hern, Past President of the New Jersey State Bar Association Karol Corbin Walker, Esq., and Cooper University Health Care CEO Kevin O’Dowd.
“I could not be more humbled that my beloved alma mater has chosen to recognize my great affection for Seton Hall Law School in this way,” Walsh noted. “Over the centuries, the Red Mass has offered attorneys and judges the chance to ask God’s continued blessings upon the work we perform for our clients, the public, and one another. At Seton Hall Law, we have continued this practice by imploring the intercession of Saint Thomas More to protect and watch over our clients, our attorney colleagues, and our families.”
Walsh represents clients in commercial business litigation, criminal defense, and state regulatory matters. He advises on a wide range of legal affairs at the intersection of business, law, and politics. He represents clients before state and federal courts in both New York and New Jersey, as well as in administrative matters before New Jersey state agencies. Calling on his experience as a former federal prosecutor, he regularly assists corporations, individuals, and higher education institutions in responding to grand jury subpoenas received from the Department of Justice and various federal and state investigators, such as the Federal Trade Commission and various Congressional Committees.
History of the Red Mass
Named from the red vestments used in celebrating the Mass and from the red robes worn by judges in the Middle Ages, the Red Mass is traditionally a Solemn Votive Mass of the Holy Spirit celebrated at the beginning of the judicial year to invoke God’s blessing and guidance in the administration of justice. In accordance with a practice dating back to the 13th century, the celebrants – government officials, lawyers, and judges – would proceed into a church clothed in red vestments or red garments, signifying the fire of the Holy Spirit’s guidance to those who pursue justice in their daily lives. The first Red Mass in the United States took place in New York City in 1928, celebrated at old St. Andrew’s Church on Duane Street by His Eminence Patrick Cardinal Hayes, who strongly encouraged and supported the legal community’s involvement in spreading the Word of God. Since that time, many groups of Catholic attorneys have continued to organize local Red Masses annually. Currently celebrated in dioceses throughout the United States, this is the 40th annual Red Mass for Seton Hall University School of Law.
About Greenberg Traurig: Greenberg Traurig, LLP has more than 2750 attorneys in 48 locations in the United States, Europe and the Middle East, Latin America, and Asia. The firm is a 2022 BTI “Highly Recommended Law Firm” for superior client service and is consistently among the top firms on the Am Law Global 100 and NLJ 500. Greenberg Traurig is Mansfield Rule 6.0 Certified Plus by The Diversity Lab. The firm is recognized for powering its U.S. offices with 100% renewable energy as certified by the Center for Resource Solutions Green-e® Energy program and is a member of the U.S. EPA’s Green Power Partnership Program. The firm is known for its philanthropic giving, innovation, diversity, and pro bono. Web: www.gtlaw.com.