Joe Cavanagh
Encyclopedia
Joseph V. Cavanagh Jr. is an attorney
and retired ice hockey
player. Cavanagh was a three-time all-state selection as a high schooler in Rhode Island
. He whet on to play hockey at Harvard University
where he earned multiple awards including being named an All-America
n for three straight years. He left Harvard as the school's all-time assist leader which has since been passed. However, he remains the Beanpot's all-time leading scorer. An injury lead him to stop pursuing a career in hockey. He was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame
in 1994 and named one of the top 50 players in ECAC history in 2010. Following his hockey career Cavanagh began practicing law becoming a successful attorney. He is a member of the Rhode Island Bar Association
and the Board of Bar Examiners
.
, Rhode Island
. As a high school student Cavanagh was a three-time all-state selection who was renowned for his on ice work ethic. He led the state in scoring for three years from 1964 to 1966 and was named Rhode Island's most valuable high school player in 1965 and 1966. He spent one year in a post-graduate program at Phillips Academy
in Massachusetts.
. In his first season he helped Harvard win the Beanpot tournament earning MVP honors. By the end of the season, he compiled a team leading 24 goals and 62 points. He earned multiple post season honors for his play including: first team All-America
n, first team All-East, first team All-Ivy, first team All-New England, Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) Hockey Rookie of the Year and the Walter Brown Award (given to best American-born player). The following season after he tied a teammate as the team's leading scorer, he was again named first team All-American, All-East, All-Ivy and All-New England. In addition he was also awarded the John Tudor Memorial Cup Award as Harvard's most valuable player. In his senor year Cavanagh registered 72 points and led the team in scoring for the third consecutive year. He duplicated the awards he earned during his junior year and added the Bingham Award as the top male athlete at Harvard and the Walter Brown Award as the top U.S.-born player in New England. He finished his career at Harvard as the teams all-time leader in assists (127), second all-time in points (187) and third all-time in goals (60). His assist total now ranks third all-time. While he remains fifth in points, he has fallen to fourteenth in goals. He is the Beanpot tournament's all-time leading scorer. He was named to the ECAC's All Decade first team.
Following his collegiate career, Cavanagh played one season with the Braintree Hawks in the New England Hockey League (NEnHL) scoring 13 goals and registering 39 points. In 1971 he took a deferment from law school in an attempt to make the 1972 Olympic hockey team
and was invited to Boston Bruins
training camp. Cavanagh broke his wrist during a practice with the Olympic team and decided to not to pursue a career in hockey. In 1994 he was elected to the United States Hockey Hall of Fame
. Sixteen years later he was announced as one of the top 50 players in ECAC history.
from Boston College Law School
. He has earned multiple honors as an attorney
. From 2005 to 2010 he was recognized as an outstanding general litigator by Chambers USA. He was named a Rhode Island and New England Super Lawyer from 2007 to 2010. He has served on the Rhode Island Board of Bar Examiners
and is a member of the Rhode Island Bar Association
as well as serving on its Superior Court Bench/Bar Committee. Cavanagh has served as Chairman of the Rhode Island chapter of the American College of Trial Lawyers
which he has been a member of since 1990.
Rhode Island
. The couple had nine children together. In 1982 he coached youth hockey and later served on the board of directors for the Warwick Junior Hockey Association. He is a founding director of ACCESS/R.I., an organization dedicated to improving public access to government information. He serves as a director and vice president of the St. Thomas More Law Society and is an officer and director of the Rhode Island Special Olympics
. His son, former San Jose Sharks
player, Tom
died on January 6, 2011 at the age of 28. His death was believed to be a suicide. Tom had battled mental illness for some time.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and retired ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player. Cavanagh was a three-time all-state selection as a high schooler in Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
. He whet on to play hockey at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
where he earned multiple awards including being named an All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n for three straight years. He left Harvard as the school's all-time assist leader which has since been passed. However, he remains the Beanpot's all-time leading scorer. An injury lead him to stop pursuing a career in hockey. He was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame
United States Hockey Hall of Fame
The United States Hockey Hall of Fame was established in 1973 with the goal of preserving the rich history of the game in the United States while recognizing the extraordinary contributions of select players, coaches, administrators, officials and teams....
in 1994 and named one of the top 50 players in ECAC history in 2010. Following his hockey career Cavanagh began practicing law becoming a successful attorney. He is a member of the Rhode Island Bar Association
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
and the Board of Bar Examiners
Bar examination
A bar examination is an examination conducted at regular intervals to determine whether a candidate is qualified to practice law in a given jurisdiction.-Brazil:...
.
Early life
Cavanagh grew up as part of a large family having eight siblings in the town of CranstonCranston, Rhode Island
Cranston, once known as Pawtuxet, is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. With a population of 80,387 at the 2010 census, it is the third largest city in the state. The center of population of Rhode Island is located in Cranston...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
. As a high school student Cavanagh was a three-time all-state selection who was renowned for his on ice work ethic. He led the state in scoring for three years from 1964 to 1966 and was named Rhode Island's most valuable high school player in 1965 and 1966. He spent one year in a post-graduate program at Phillips Academy
Phillips Academy
Phillips Academy is a selective, co-educational independent boarding high school for boarding and day students in grades 9–12, along with a post-graduate year...
in Massachusetts.
Playing career
Following his post-graduate year he began playing at Harvard UniversityHarvard Crimson men's ice hockey
The Harvard Crimson men's ice hockey team is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college ice hockey program that represents Harvard University. The Crimson are a member of ECAC Hockey. They play at the Bright Hockey Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts...
. In his first season he helped Harvard win the Beanpot tournament earning MVP honors. By the end of the season, he compiled a team leading 24 goals and 62 points. He earned multiple post season honors for his play including: first team All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n, first team All-East, first team All-Ivy, first team All-New England, Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) Hockey Rookie of the Year and the Walter Brown Award (given to best American-born player). The following season after he tied a teammate as the team's leading scorer, he was again named first team All-American, All-East, All-Ivy and All-New England. In addition he was also awarded the John Tudor Memorial Cup Award as Harvard's most valuable player. In his senor year Cavanagh registered 72 points and led the team in scoring for the third consecutive year. He duplicated the awards he earned during his junior year and added the Bingham Award as the top male athlete at Harvard and the Walter Brown Award as the top U.S.-born player in New England. He finished his career at Harvard as the teams all-time leader in assists (127), second all-time in points (187) and third all-time in goals (60). His assist total now ranks third all-time. While he remains fifth in points, he has fallen to fourteenth in goals. He is the Beanpot tournament's all-time leading scorer. He was named to the ECAC's All Decade first team.
Following his collegiate career, Cavanagh played one season with the Braintree Hawks in the New England Hockey League (NEnHL) scoring 13 goals and registering 39 points. In 1971 he took a deferment from law school in an attempt to make the 1972 Olympic hockey team
Ice hockey at the 1972 Winter Olympics
At the 1972 Winter Olympics held in Sapporo, Japan, one ice hockey event was held: men's ice hockey. Games were held at the Makomanai Ice Arena and at the Tsukisamu Indoor Skating Rink.-Team USA:...
and was invited to Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
training camp. Cavanagh broke his wrist during a practice with the Olympic team and decided to not to pursue a career in hockey. In 1994 he was elected to the United States Hockey Hall of Fame
United States Hockey Hall of Fame
The United States Hockey Hall of Fame was established in 1973 with the goal of preserving the rich history of the game in the United States while recognizing the extraordinary contributions of select players, coaches, administrators, officials and teams....
. Sixteen years later he was announced as one of the top 50 players in ECAC history.
Attorney
After his playing career Cavanagh earned a law degreeLaw degree
A Law degree is an academic degree conferred for studies in law. Such degrees are generally preparation for legal careers; but while their curricula may be reviewed by legal authority, they do not themselves confer a license...
from Boston College Law School
Boston College Law School
Boston College Law School is one of the six professional graduate schools at Boston College. Located approximately 1.5 miles from the main Boston College campus in Chestnut Hill, Boston College Law School is situated on a wooded campus in Newton, Massachusetts.With approximately 800 students and...
. He has earned multiple honors as an attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
. From 2005 to 2010 he was recognized as an outstanding general litigator by Chambers USA. He was named a Rhode Island and New England Super Lawyer from 2007 to 2010. He has served on the Rhode Island Board of Bar Examiners
Bar examination
A bar examination is an examination conducted at regular intervals to determine whether a candidate is qualified to practice law in a given jurisdiction.-Brazil:...
and is a member of the Rhode Island Bar Association
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
as well as serving on its Superior Court Bench/Bar Committee. Cavanagh has served as Chairman of the Rhode Island chapter of the American College of Trial Lawyers
American College of Trial Lawyers
The American College of Trial Lawyers is a professional association of trial lawyers from the United States and Canada. Founded in 1950, the College is dedicated to maintaining and improving the standards of trial practice, the administration of justice and the ethics of the profession...
which he has been a member of since 1990.
Personal life
Cavanagh along with his wife, Carol, live in WarwickWarwick, Rhode Island
Warwick is a city in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. It is the second largest city in the state, with a population of 82,672 at the 2010 census. Its mayor has been Scott Avedisian since 2000...
Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
. The couple had nine children together. In 1982 he coached youth hockey and later served on the board of directors for the Warwick Junior Hockey Association. He is a founding director of ACCESS/R.I., an organization dedicated to improving public access to government information. He serves as a director and vice president of the St. Thomas More Law Society and is an officer and director of the Rhode Island Special Olympics
Special Olympics
Special Olympics is the world's largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, providing year-round training and competitions to more than 3.1 million athletes in 175 countries....
. His son, former San Jose Sharks
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
player, Tom
Tom Cavanagh (ice hockey)
Thomas Garrett Cavanagh was an American professional ice hockey center who most recently played with the Springfield Falcons of the American Hockey League. He was drafted by the San Jose Sharks in the sixth round, 182nd overall, of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft...
died on January 6, 2011 at the age of 28. His death was believed to be a suicide. Tom had battled mental illness for some time.