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“The best part of my day is when I tell somebody, ‘I can help you,’ and I watch the weight fall off their shoulders,” said Michael Monteforte, Jr. ’98.

Michael graduated from ����ֱ�� in 1998 with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and as a member of the Summa Cum Laude Honors Society. He later went to law school at Suffolk University, where he graduated with a Juris Doctorate in Law. From there, he worked at a law firm in Lynn until he progressed as far as he could, realizing that the only way to be able to support his family while also being able to spend time with them, was to start his own law firm.

So, he created the Law Offices of Michael Monteforte Jr., located in Wilmington, Mass. At first, he took every case that walked through the door. It wasn’t until his grandparents needed to move into an assisted living facility, and he saw just how difficult it was for them to keep their life savings during this process, that he found his true passion: estate and elder law. People come to him in trying times, hoping he can help prevent their parents from losing their entire life savings.

Michael has experienced great success in the past 13 years and says he owes much of that success to his alma mater, ����ֱ��.  Salem State not only enabled Michael to have an extremely successful career; it also gave him another great opportunity: meeting his wife. Jill Monteforte ‘98, also a Salem State alum, met Michael in a speech class in their sophomore year.

“Bottom line, Salem State is where I started my life, and made everything possible,” Michael points out. “I am forever grateful.”

Michael is also thankful for the donors of the scholarships he received that made it possible for him to attend Salem State. Without them, he may not have been able to afford college, and never would have been able to help people the way he does now. His gratitude spurred him to set up the Michael Monteforte Jr. Scholarship Award at ����ֱ�� for students pursuing a degree in criminal justice, history, political science, or sociology.

“If I can make college easier for even one student, I’ll know I’ve made an impact,” Michael said.