More History

News Release for Admission to Massachusetts Bar, 1965

Past member of ATLA - Association of Trial Lawyers of America, now known as AAJ - American Association for Justice

High school in US at 15, graduated at 17, spent 4 years at Boston College Jesuit (BS), then joined US Navy.

Attended Navy school in Newport, RI. Assigned to Charleston, SC. Requested sea duty. Assigned to USS Boston, home ported out of Boston.

Navy sent me to justice school where I, as collateral duty, was trial and defense counsel for courts martial.

Whetted my appetite for law and also my brother, Patrick, had just become a lawyer.

After many years, my brother, Dennis, worked developing property.

I come from a very successful family of immigrants.

Graduated from Suffolk Law School, attended evening school for 4 years.

Interviewed by lawyer before being sworn in.

The man said, "I see you work for Aetna Casualty Insurance while you were going through law school. Tell Aetna Casualty they should hire you as a lawyer because you did so well on the bar exam."

A few years later, I was sworn in as a lawyer in DC, then sworn in within the state of Arizona, ultimately in US Supreme court and several federal courts.

O'Driscolls have been in the same part of Ireland for 1500 years. I was born 1936 in rural Ireland, 50 miles from big city.

Attended local schools' from age 2 years to high school.

Father worked in local creamery; Mom said he was best loved man in town. It is the fulcrum, the center of gossip and information in the area since agriculture is so important. He was a spy for Irish Republican Army against Britain, was charged with sedition against ruling British. He was so well liked, they didn't put him in the dungeon, they put him up with his prosecutor at his house. Prosecutor, Jasper Wolfe, later defended his compatriots, freedom fighters even though he was prosecutor.

Attended St. Fachtna's high school. De Le Salle brothers in Skibbereen County Cork Ireland, order of men who taught at Catholic schools.

I have 6 brothers and sisters. Oldest brother, Dennis, came to America in 1947 at age 22, was drafted into Army and assigned as a drill instructor, was wounded in Korea. Brother, Patrick, was drafted into the Army. Brother, Michael, was also in the Army.