The Great Irish Fair presents this award in honor of the brilliant author, the chancellor and head of the English Judiciary, a great spiritual leader and moral force who was martyred for his Catholic faith. St. Thomas More is the patron saint of lawyers and is an inspiration to judges.

Attorney Marguerite Downing Peck is receiving the St. Thomas More Award.

A partner in Downing & Peck, P.C., located in Manhattan, she has been litigating civil matters in New York City, and on Long Island for the past 30 years.

Born in Brooklyn, she is the oldest child of John M. Downing and Margaret Jones Downing. Both of her parents attended Catholic grammar and high schools, and Catholic colleges in Brooklyn. By example, her parents taught her the importance of giving to Catholic schools in order to allow future generations to receive the benefits of learning in a spiritual environment.

She obtained bachelor of arts degrees in economics and French at Fairfield University, Fairfield, Conn. She then graduated from St. John’s University School of Law, Jamaica, in 1986.

Her three children attended St. Agnes Cathedral elementary school in Rockville Centre, L.I.; her daughters graduated Sacred Heart Academy, Hempstead, L.I., and her son graduated from Chaminade H.S. in Mineola, L.I. Both of her daughters graduated from Fairfield University, and her son is entering junior year there this fall.

While her children were attending St. Agnes, she was an active member of the Mothers’ Club, the Gala Committee and served on the school board for three years. She served for many years on the Sacred Heart Academy annual dinner gala committee, and co-chaired one of its events.

She and her husband, Ernie Peck, are Sacred Heart Spartan Leaders; members of the Loughlin Society of St. John’s University; members of Chaminade’s Medallion Society and members of The President’s Circle, Fairfield University. She is a member of the Foundation Board of Mercy Hospital in Rockville Centre.

A past president of the Emerald Association of Long Island, Inc., she has been a member of the association’s board of directors for the past eight years.

She is honored to be chosen as a recipient of the St. Thomas More Award, and grateful to the Irish American Building Society for the good works they do for the community.