Bruce M. Stargatt has been awarded the Order of the First State by Governor Jack Markell. The award is the highest honor for service granted by the governor
“Bruce is a great Delawarean and I’m proud to have gotten to know him over the last decade,” said Gov. Jack Markell. “His impact on Delaware is far-reaching and his commitment to serving others is inspiring. It is with great pleasure and gratitude I award him with the Order of the First State.”
He came to Delaware with the Delaware Air National Guard, and after completing his tour of service as a Legal Officer in the Guard, he started his Delaware legal career He became a founding partner of Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor, LLP, Wilmington, which would become one of Delaware’s largest law firms.
“It is a great honor for our firm to have one of our founding partners recognized for the significant contributions that he has made to our profession, and to the State of Delaware,” said James L. Patton, Jr., chairman of Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor, LLP. “We are all extremely proud of his accomplishments, and we work diligently to maintain the high level of service and professionalism that Bruce Stargatt represents, at the firm that carries his name,” Patton added.
As a practicing lawyer, Stargatt was also active in the community and he was often called upon by the Courts for voluntary service to help improve the delivery of legal services for the benefit of all Delaware citizens. The Delaware Supreme Court sought Stargatt for important projects to keep Delaware in the forefront of the evolution of the law. He served as a volunteer on the Supreme Court Advisory Committee of the American Bar Association Standards for Criminal Justice. As Chair of the Delaware Appellate Handbook Committee, he headed a team that produced a detailed set of instructions for the filing and handling of civil and criminal appeals from every Delaware Court. He was also appointed by the Supreme Court to be Chair of the Delaware Supreme Court’s Rules Committee. His work has been a benefit for every Delaware resident, every user of Delaware Courts and for the Court itself.
Stargatt’s service also included his appointment as a member of the Preliminary Investigating Committee of the Court on the Judiciary, service on the Delaware Supreme Court’s Permanent Advisory Committee, and the Delaware Rules of Professional Conduct.
He was President of the Delaware State Bar Association and the Delaware Bar Foundation. On behalf of the Delaware Bar Foundation, he worked as a strong advocate for the IOLTA Program- the principal focus of which is to raise funds to supplement legal services to the poor.
