Cover Story

Boo J. Giuffre
Harmon G. Scoville Award Honoree

Arthur Ashe said that “True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic.  It is not the urge to surpass others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.”  Such heroism was personified by this year’s Harmon G. Scoville Award honoree, who quietly and unselfishly dedicated her too-short life to the service of others.  Boo Giuffre took her untimely departure from this earth on September 21, 2007, but she left behind a legacy of lives forever changed by her hand.  A tireless advocate for children, Boo gave voice to those who otherwise would have had none.  And in giving them voice, she found the passion that would drive her life’s work and shape the remarkable person she became.

A sole practitioner specializing in family law, Boo devoted the last twenty years of her distinguished career to the representation of children.  She routinely accepted court appointments to represent the interests of minor children in family law matters, often receiving little or no compensation for her efforts.  Indeed, Boo never turned down a court appointment involving the representation of a child, despite the tremendous financial and emotional toll that these cases invariably take on all those involved.  Where her colleagues admittedly came to limit their involvement in child representation cases, or stopped taking them altogether when the strains become too great, Boo had no boundaries where the rights of children were concerned.  Disregarding the tremendous personal costs, Boo took on more and more.  She worked tirelessly on behalf of her clients, putting in long hours and sacrificing her nights and weekends because she knew the importance of the task with which she was entrusted.  Her devotion to her young clients was widely known among all those whose lives Boo touched, from judges, to opposing counsel, to court staff.  Despite the agony of the decisions she confronted and the human desperation that characterized virtually every case, Boo never shrunk from her responsibilities.  Her zealous and yet compassionate representation of her child clients rightly earned her the esteem of judges, colleagues, mental health professionals, and opponents alike. 

In the courtroom, Boo distinguished herself with her professional demeanor and courteous comportment to both court and counsel.  Always armed with a complete command of the subject matter at hand, she eschewed raised voices and vitriol in favor of quiet, deliberate persuasion, aided by thorough preparation.  As a fellow practitioner put it, whatever her personal feelings might have been about a given case, when she was in court, Boo “was so cool that butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth.”  Known for being fair, honest, trustworthy, tough, and pragmatic, Boo was uncompromising in attempting to achieve the “right” result for her clients.  Yet, she demonstrated a remarkable ability to work cooperatively and collaboratively with her opponents.  Although the situations with which she was forced to grapple were fraught with anxiety, and even hostility, Boo managed to maintain her equanimity and professionalism throughout.  According to friend and colleague Jennifer King, “Boo was the standard against whom many of us who represent children measure ourselves.”  A higher compliment rarely has been paid by one practitioner to another.

While the fees she collected for her services scarcely came close to compensating her for the time she invested, Boo took comfort in the outpouring of gratitude that emanated from her clients and from the certitude that her efforts had a made a difference in people’s lives.  She frequently received cards and letters from children she had represented and their parents thanking her for her role in making their lives better.  In response, and in typical “Boo” fashion, she humbly gave credit to the judge who had made the final decision, saying that “all” she had done was to ensure that the child’s voice was heard in the manner that the system allows.

When not occupied championing the rights of children in our courts, Boo gave herself in service to our Bar Association and the Orange County legal community in general.  She frequently mentored other practitioners, lending them sage advice and support during times of professional difficulty.  A long-time member of the OCBA Family Law section, Boo was also a member of the Resolutions Committee and represented the OCBA as a delegate to the State Conference of Delegates for many years.  She also brought her experience to the educational programs of the larger Bar Association, frequently serving as a panelist for OCBA travel seminars and taking the opportunity to educate fellow practitioners about the plight of children torn between two battling, and sometimes completely unsuitable, parents.

Boo’s passion for the profession in general, and for children’s rights in particular, never faltered even when she was diagnosed with terminal cancer.  She surrendered her files with great reluctance, and only when the ravages of her illness left her no choice.  The attorneys who took over her cases reportedly were overwhelmed with the depth of her devotion to her clients and her forcefulness on their behalf, occasionally expressing disbelief that she was “really sick” because she was so demanding and unrelenting in expressing her opinions about what was best for “her” clients.  To the end, Boo was a fierce advocate for those in need.

Julie M. McCoy was 2006 President of the Orange County Bar Association and currently serves as Chair of its Awards Committee.