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ROY HAMMER Obituary

HAMMER, Roy A. Of Boston died on April 26, 2016, at age 81. A revered lawyer and trustee, Mr. Hammer is survived by his wife of 60 years, Sylvia, their daughters, Julie Hammer and Beth Isa Hammer, and their grandchildren, Matthew, Jennifer, Benjamin and Jack. Born in New York City, Mr. Hammer did his undergraduate work at Yale before earning a masters degree from Columbia and his law degree from Harvard Law School. He was also a veteran of the United States Army. Mr. Hammer was a retired senior partner at Hemenway & Barnes in Boston, where he spent his entire professional career, focusing first on business and corporate law, before concentrating on trust and estate matters and work as a professional trustee. He was deeply committed to the legal profession, to the pursuit of justice and to safeguarding the rights of the individual. His commitment to justice saw Mr. Hammer serve as President of the Massachusetts Bar Association, President of the Massachusetts Bar Foundation, President of the Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, a member of the American Bar Association's Board of Governors and a longtime member of the ABA House of Delegates. In 2011, the ABA honored him with the Robert F. Drinan Award for Distinguished Service for his leadership in protecting and advancing human rights, civil liberties and social justice. A student of the law, as well as a practitioner, Mr. Hammer was a member of the American Law Institute and a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. After formally retiring from Hemenway & Barnes in 2006, he continued in an of counsel role at the firm and remained involved in many activities, including work with the ABA Center for Human Rights project on human trafficking, which maintains educational resources for use by lawyers and other advocates representing trafficking victims; works to develop uniform state anti-trafficking law; and seeks to enhance communication between the civil and criminal sides in trafficking cases. Roy Hammer was deeply engaged in the Boston community, both as a committed volunteer and philanthropist, serving as a member of the Board of Governors of the Handel & Haydn Society and as a Trustee of the Longy School of Music. He was also a retired member of the Board of Directors of Dow Jones & Company, and was engaged in the affairs of Dow Jones for many years. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Roy's name to a charity of your choice. While funeral services will be private, a gathering in remembrance is scheduled for Friday, June 3 at 11 a.m. at the Colonnade Hotel, 120 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA.

Levine Chapels, Brookline

617-277-8300

www.levinechapel.com

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Boston Globe from Apr. 28 to May 1, 2016.

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Memorial Events
for ROY HAMMER

Jun

3

Memorial Gathering

11:00 a.m.

Colonnade Hotel

120 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA

Funeral services provided by:

Levine Chapels

470 Harvard Street, Brookline, MA 02446

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