PAUL BALESTRACCI
2017 Bishop's Awards Honoree

“Keep prayer a part of your life. It keeps you able to experience the presence of God…and do your best-don’t let your occasional failures keep you from trying to be better the next day.”

Paul Balestracci considers his faith a “place to call home.” Paul’s original home is San Francisco, the City by the Bay, where he was baptized by Rev. George Lacey. He attended Holy Family School in Citrus Heights and St. John the Evangelist School in Carmichael before he moved to Ohio during his junior high years. When he returned to Carmichael, he attended La Sierra High School. After earning his B.A. in Economics from UC Davis, Paul went to the McGeorge School of Law for his Juris Doctor.

He started his law career as a deputy district attorney with San Joaquin County before joining Neumiller & Beardslee as an attorney-at-law, now a principal. Paul leads the firm’s litigation department. One of his areas of expertise is religious entities, and he is the Diocese of Stockton’s attorney.

Paul believes his faith is a gift to be shared, and he looks to his faith for comfort, strength, and the opportunity for service. He recalls seeing an acquaintance going through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) in his 30’s and was impressed that this person made a commitment as an adult to the gift Paul had been given at birth. This was how Paul was called to contribute to his parish and Diocese. He is an RCIA catechist, and he serves on several parish councils: adult formation, parish, and school board. He is also active in Serra Club of Stockton as vice president of programs.

Many other programs have benefited from his love of service and youth. He was board chair of St. Joseph’s Hospital Community Board and a board member for Easter Seals Superior California. Paul and his wife Leslie spent a lot of time at ball games while their children, Jennifer and Peter, were younger, as Paul was a coach, parent, and board member of the Sunset Little League. He also coached for the Stockton Youth Soccer Association and as a high school umpire for the Northern California Officials Association.

Paul also gives time to the American Board of Trial Advocates and the San Joaquin County Bar Association, where he serves on the board. The former economics major is a member of Omicron Delta Epsilon, an international honor society in economics.

“Keep prayer a part of your life” advises Paul to youth. “It keeps you able to experience the presence of God…and do your best-don’t let your occasional failures keep you from trying to be better the next day.” Paul believes that “faith is a gift to be shared” and so he has with his family, which includes his granddaughter Noella Bo, his parish, and his diocese.