Whoever said nice guys finish last never met local attorney Paul
Troskosky.
Even if they had, they would know that he doesn’t care where he
finishes just as long as he has done something meaningful for
someone else.
For his 32 years of “compassionate” service, Troskosky will
receive a 2006 Excellence Award from Pennsylvania Legal Services.
He is the managing attorney of the Northwestern Legal Services
(NWLS) Bradford office.
The award honors members and friends of the legal aid community
in Pennsylvania who exemplify excellence in their work on behalf of
low-income clients with civil legal concerns.
NWLS Executive Director Robert Oakley said he has known
Troskosky a little over 11 years and believes “he is certainly
deserving of this prestigious award.”
“He’s highly respected with our staff and he is certainly
empathetic and understanding about our client community and the
community as a whole. He is a compassionate individual. His
experience and tenacity of being an attorney, I believe, make him
deserving of this award,” said Oakley.
NWLS is a nonprofit legal services program that provides free
legal representation to the low-income residents of northwestern
Pennsylvania. The Bradford District includes McKean and Potter
County.
Pennsylvania Legal Services is, according to its Web site, the
principal funding source and oversight agency for organizations
that provide legal assistance to low-income residents of
Pennsylvania.
Troskosky, who he hadn’t seen the press release about the award
until Tuesday morning, said he was surprised by the honor.
“This all came as a surprise to me. I am very pleased,” he said
with a blush climbing his face.
Troskosky said before he worked in the Bradford office, he
volunteered for two years for an organization in Cattaraugus County
similar to the Peace Corps, but a domestic version.
“I knew when I went to law school I wanted to help people,” he
said. “One day I was in the stacks in the law library and I saw a
journal about Neighborhood Legal Services. I knew then that that
was what I wanted to do.
“I’ve been lucky to have had the opportunity to do this. It’s
been good,” added Troskosky. “We have a priority plan to serve
basic human needs and we just about have that right.”
He explained that they work on cases that include orders from
protection from abuse through the YWCA Domestic Violence services
and domestic violence issues.
“I represent them in court,” said Troskosky, adding that they
also work on Social Security disability cases and some bankruptcy
cases. “It levels the playing field in court.
“We keep them from losing everything they have,” he added. “They
pay a fee, but not an attorney fee.”
Even though Northwestern Legal Services covers six regions
including the Bradford, Erie, Farrell, Franklin, Meadville, and
Warren areas, the company has been decreasing the number of
attorneys it has available. Lack of federal funding is one reason,
but another reason, explains Oakley, is because it is hard to find
a graduated student willing to take a lower wage for services.
“It’s not just federal cutbacks – the starting salary for staff
is part of the thing in hiring an attorney to work this position,”
said Oakley.
Throughout his 32 years in the job, Troskosky has gained the
respect of his peers.
“He spent his entire professional life helping low-income people
and that’s to be, in my mind, admired and respected. As far as I
know, that is what motivated Paul to select his profession,” Oakley
added.
Troskosky describes the local law professionals as another
reason he remains in his position in Bradford.
“It’s been a good place to practice law. There is good judging –
they are real people. There are good bar people to practice with.
It makes for a certain amount of credibility,” said Troskosky.
In his years of service, Troskosky said he likes to work on
protection from abuse cases the best.
“I like helping people who are vulnerable. It’s one quality we
look for when hiring people, those who can work for people in
crisis,” he said.
“Part of my philosophy is to help people with small cases, not
to change the world for clients, but to change little pieces of
their lives. That adds up,” Troskosky added.
“I think most people work hard for their clients,” he said.
“This is an excellence award. Excellence is a goal. But like a lot
of people, I go to work and do my best to give each of my clients
as much amount of energy as I can muster.”
Troskosky and his wife, Marie, live in Bradford. He also has a
son, Aaron, who lives in Pittsburgh.
