Lincoln County Register of Probate Catherine Moore was awarded the John W. Ballou award winner by the Maine State Bar Association for her work in the probate office over the past decade. (Courtesy photo)
“Surprised” was the word Catherine Moore used to describe how she felt the moment she found out she had won the same award as previous governors and senators.
On May 5, Moore received the email saying she had been named the 2026 John W. Ballou Award winner by the Maine State Bar Association. She said she didn’t even know she had been entered as a nominee and later found out it was attorney Meegan Burbank, of the Edgecomb-based firm Berry & Burbank, who had nominated her.
“I still can’t believe it,” Moore said.
The award is given to individuals who demonstrate qualities in keeping with the aims and purposes of the Maine State Bar Association, according to their website. These qualities include promoting the honor, dignity, and professionalism of lawyers, advancing the knowledge, skills, and interests of association members, and supporting the public interest in a fair and effective system of justice. Usually, the award goes to people who are not lawyers.
The award is named after a Bangor lawyer who was the founding father of the Board of Oversees of the Bar.
Past winners of this award include U.S. Sens. Olympia Snowe and George Mitchell, Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen, and Gov. James Longley.
“Not only have you dedicated your career to Maine’s legal community, but you have also reinforced a positive image of the probate court system by your interaction with lawyers and the public with unwavering respect and compassion,” Angela Armstrong, executive director of the Maine State Bar Association said in the notice to Moore.
Burbank said she nominated Moore because of her work in the probate court to help both the legal community and public have a better understanding of changes in probate code. Not only does Burbank know Moore from the professional field, but is a fellow Jefferson resident.
Burbank, who is the president of the Lincoln County Bar Association, recalled a time when Moore reached out to let her know a change in code was being made and how it would affect practices. Moore then gave a presentation on exactly that, talking about implementation and other factors of the change.
“It was just one great example of how much energy she puts into trying to make sure that things progress smoothly and changes don’t become offensive to people,” Burbank said.
Co-nominators for the award were Judge of Probate William Avantaggio and County Commissioner David Levesque. The nomination also received support from County Administrator Carrie Kipfer and paralegals from Burbank’s office, Liisa Hamilton and Valery Curtis.
Burbank said Moore has changed and positively impacted the way probate registers communication with each other and conveying how the probate process happens.
“Every once in a while there is someone from our county that does something exemplary, and it’s great to be able to give them recognition for it, and this is just another example of someone from out county making a big impact on the state of Maine,” Burbank said.
A lifelong Jefferson resident, Moore started working for the county 20 years ago. She started in registry part time, sometimes filling in on afternoons in the probate office. In August 2006, she was hired full time as the clerk and then promoted to deputy in June 2014.
In fall 2014 she ran a successful campaign to become the Lincoln County register of probate, and was officially sworn in January 2015. She has been in the position ever since, winning reelection in 2018 and 2022.
“I enjoy coming to work every day, I love my job,” Moore said.
Moore’s office is responsible for passports, guardianships, conservatorships, adoptions, genealogy, and more. If someone comes to the probate’s office looking for something it does not provide, Moore said they are quick to redirect them to the right place.
When she is not working, Moore said she enjoys reading, gardening, and relaxing. She said her favorite part of the job is interacting with the community and working alongside her “Lincoln County family.”
At the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners’ meeting on Tuesday, May 19, Levesque recognized Moore and the achievement. He said as a member of the Maine State Bar Association, he knows the value of this award and that the decision was probably not made lightly.
“It’s great that Lincoln County is well represented,” Levesque said.
Moore will receive her award on Thursday, June 25 at the Samoset Resort in Rockport.
For more information on the Maine State Bar Association, call 622-7523 or go to mainebar.org.
