Attorney Martha Baum “Marty” Walker was belatedly honored with the 2020 Edmund C. Wingerd Jr. Award during the annual Admissions Ceremony of the Franklin County Bar Association (FCBA) held on December 3rd 2021. Last year’s annual meeting was held remotely due to the COVID-19/coronavirus pandemic, and the FCBA determined that it was appropriate to belatedly honor Ms. Walker in person.
The Wingerd Award is bestowed upon a FCBA member who has shown commitment to community and the highest standards of professionalism and service to his or her private clients and the needs of the underprivileged.
“As the first female member of the FCBA and now the first female recipient of the Edmund C. Wingerd Jr. Award, Attorney Walker is extremely deserving of this honor. Marty’s commitment to her clients and her community for nearly 50 years of practice models the spirit of this award, and provides a standard of practice to which all of our members can and should aspire,” said FCBA President, Andrew J. Benchoff, who presented the award. “Marty has a reputation of caring about and zealously advocating for her clients, both private and pro bono; as a matter of practice, she demonstrates professional and personal integrity in addressing and serving their needs; of particular note is her long-standing representation of financially disadvantaged clients on a pro bono basis,” Benchoff added.
Marty practices with the law firm of Walker & Spang, LLC, located in Chambersburg. She received her bachelor’s degree from Wilson College and her juris doctorate degree from Dickinson School of Law. In addition to her memberships in the FCBA and Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA), she is a past president of the FCBA, a former Zone Three Delegate of the PBA, former Tri-Chair of the PBA Judicial Independence Committee, a frequent lecturer, a volunteer for Franklin County Legal Services’ pro-bono divorce program, and a past or former member of numerous local, non-profit Boards of Directors, including but not limited to the Chambersburg Area United Way, Caledonia Theatre Company, Chambersburg Council for Arts, and Cumberland Valley Mental Health Center.
Additionally, Marty was just honored by the Farmers & Merchants Trust Company upon the completion of forty years as a bank director of the company. It’s youngest and first female Director when elected in 1979.
Marty is married to her husband, David Spang, and she is the proud parent of daughter, Andrea Walker, and son, Gregory Walker, married to Bjorn; she is also a proud step-parent to Nathaniel Spang, who is married to Maureen, and Rebecca Donald, who is married to Scott; in addition, Marty is the proud grandparent to Tillie, Alice, and Liam.