Joseph M. Hanna, Goldberg Segalla partner and the founder and President of Bunkers in Baghdad, was the recent subject of a profile in the Buffalo Law Journal that highlighted the non-profit’s most recent milestone — shipping its six millionth golf ball — and Joe’s recent honor by the Bar Association of Erie County as its 2015 Lawyer of the Year.

At 34, Joe, who also chairs the firm’s Diversity Task Force, stands as the youngest attorney to win the award, which he accepted at the Bar Association’s 128th annual dinner in recognition of his legal work, community leadership, and commitment to diversity in the legal profession. “We are a tight-knit legal community and that is what brings great pride to this award,” Joe told the Buffalo Law Journal. “There’s nothing like coming home, being home, and winning an award where you’ve been born and raised. I take great pride in this region and being recognized by my peers.”

The Buffalo Law Journal profile comes closely on the heels of Bunkers being featured on Buffalo NBC affiliate WGRZ Channel 2, during its 2 On Your Side news program. “I read an article by David Feherty in Golf Digest that said the soldiers’ favorite stress relief was hitting golf balls,” Hanna told the program. “So I said, you know what, let me just get what I have and ship it over … and now we’re at six million golf balls.”

Read the profile on Joe here:

• “Bar Association of Erie County Names Hanna Lawyer of the Year,” Buffalo Law Journal, June 8, 2015