40 Under 40 The Class of 2012

Michael Fenton: 25

Law Clerk, Shatz, Schwartz & Fentin, P.C.; Springfield City Councilor

Fenton-MichaelMichael Fenton has wanted to be an attorney since he was a young child. “I have a passion for justice and truth and a desire to fight for those ends,” he said.
The Springfield native is an Oliver Wendell Holmes Scholar at Western New England University School of Law and a member of its prestigious Law Review panel. He earned an MBA in December and will graduate with a juris doctorate degree in May. He plans to take the bar exam in July, and currently works as a law clerk at Shatz, Schwartz & Fentin, P.C.
“I have been developing my legal skills through different pathways with the end goal of becoming an effective business/corporate attorney,” Fenton said.
That effectiveness is put to use in a variety of volunteer and civic arenas as Fenton is determined to use his knowledge to make a difference in the community.
At the age of 22, he was elected to the Springfield City Council, then re-elected to a second term in Ward 2, where he has lived for most of his life. He is a trustee at his alma mater, Cathedral High School, and has dedicated countless hours to help rebuild the school, which was heavily damaged by last June’s tornado. “I really believe in Cathedral’s mission,” he said.
Fenton also belongs to the Ward 2 Neighborhood Council in Springfield and is a graduate of the Springfield Citizens Police Academy.
“The opportunities I’ve had have helped me to become more savvy about local issues,” he said. “I want to help people solve problems and achieve desirable results, whether I’m working as an elected official serving constituents, an attorney serving clients, or as a volunteer giving back to the community. I’ve been given a lot, and I’m incredibly fortunate to have had so many academic and professional opportunities at such a young age, and want to help others have the same opportunities.”
— Kathleen Mitchell