Has been serving the Rhode Island community for over 20 years in the practice of law. Attorney Casale established Aquidneck Legal Center to bring affordable legal services to the Island of Aquidneck and its' surrounding areas. Aquidneck Legal Center is a General Practice with an emphasis the area of Personal Injury Law, Criminal, Divorce and Family Law Matters, Estate Planning, Probate, Elder Law as well as Bankruptcy and Collection work.

Joseph Casale '87 makes house calls, but he's not a doctor. He makes you laugh, but he's not a comedian. He listens to your problems and helps you fix them, but he's not a therapist.

He is a lawyer busy with his own practice, the Aquidneck Legal Center, which opened in November 2004 in Middletown, R.I. Public service is also a big part of Casale's life, as evidenced by his volunteer activities. He participates in Ask a Lawyer, is a member of the Rhode Island Bar Association program called Volunteer Lawyers, and a member of the Justinian Law Society. He frequently speaks at senior centers to educate the elderly on social security issues, wills and estates, and elder law. He even travels to the homes of low-income clients to be sure they get the help they need.

In 1997, Casale became involved with the Arc of Blackstone Valley, an organization that provides a variety of services to people with mental retardation and their families. He served as a court-appointed attorney on two guardianship cases. He met the Arc's chapter advocate, Anne Rule, and began to help the organization's disabled clients with legal issues. Eight years later, the relationship is strong and the service continues.

Casale often works on guardianship cases, and his concern for the clients is evident. He tries to let them retain as much decision-making power over their lives as they can. To recognize his work with the Arc, Rule nominated Casale for the Dorothy Lohmann Community Service Award, one of the most prestigious given out by the Rhode Island Bar Association.

Joe Casale is even more generous with his heart than he is with his time. His compassion is boundless. He measures his success as an attorney by the amount of good he can do in this world. The world is a better place because he is in it, Rule said when nominating him.

Casale said he was shocked to learn he had won the award. "I feel it is important to give back to the community and to give people answers to their questions. Some people don't know where to turn for the answersI want the people in my community to have quality, affordable legal representation," he said. "And it should be personalized attention. I think the profession should be more personal than it is."

By Casey A. Waldron

Areas of Practice

• Adoption
• Bankruptcy and Collection
• Business & Commercial Law
• Business Organizations
• Child Support
• Collections
• Contracts
• Criminal Law
• Custody & Visitation
• DUI/DWI
• Divorce
• Drug Violations
• Elder Law
• Estate Planning
• Family Law
• Juvenile Law
• Litigation & Appeals
• Motor Vehicle Accidents -- Plaintiff
• Nursing Home
• Personal Injury -- Plaintiff
• Probate & Estate Administration
• Traffic Violations
• Trusts
• Wills

Litigation Percentage

• 85% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Bar Admissions

• Rhode Island, 1987
• Massachusetts, 1998
• U.S. District Court District of Rhode Island, 1987
• U.S. District Court District of Massachusetts, 1998

Education

• University of Bridgeport School of Law, Bridgeport, Connecticut, 1987
  Doctor of Law
  
  
• Rhode Island College, 1983
  Bachelor of Arts
  Major: Political Science
  Major: Anthropology
  
  

Classes/Seminars Taught

• Instructor, Legal Procedure, School of Medical & Legal Secretarial Sciences, 1987 - 1989
• Moot Court Judge, Roger Williams School of Law

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Rhode Island Trial Lawyers Association, 1995 - Present
  
  
• Justinian Law Society, 1995 - Present
  
  
• RI A.R.C. Committee Member, 1998 - Present
  
  
• USAR, 1982 - 1995
  Captain
  
  
• Juvenile Diabetes Association, 2001 - Present
  
  
• Consumer Credit Counseling Services, 1999 - Present
  
  
• Kiwanis Club of Newport
  
  
• Salvation Army
  Board of Directors
  
  

Past Employment Positions

• City of Providence, Department of Law, Providence, Rhode Island, Assistant City Solicitor
• City of Providence, Department of Law, Providence, Rhode Island, District Court Prosecutor
• City of Providence, Department of Law, Providence, Rhode Island, Municipal Court Prosecutor
• City of Providence, Department of Law, Providence, Rhode Island, Civil Litigator
• City of Central Falls, Legal Department, District Court Prosecutor, 1987 - 1988

Pro Bono Activities

• Ask a Lawyer, East Providence Senior Center, 1995 - Present
• Volunteer Lawyer Program, 1995 - Present

Birth Information

• 1961, Providence, Rhode Island