SIDEBAR Summer 2021 - 22

MONTGOMERY B AR .O R G
A Conversation with Montgomery
County Prothonotary Noah Marlier, Esq.
O
By Jack Costello
n November 5, 2019, Noah Marlier,
Esq., was elected Prothonotary of
Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
His journey to the office - and his time in
office - has been unique to say the least.
SIDEBAR recently sat down with Noah to
discuss his career and eventful first year and a
half in office.
Noah grew up right here in Montgomery
County and is a proud graduate of
Jenkintown Middle/High School. From
an early age, Noah knew that he wanted to
pursue a career that allowed him to give back
to the community. After studying education at James Madison
University, Noah first taught high school history, then joined the
Peace Corps, training teachers in Malawi, Africa.
Noah's calling for public service soon drew him back home.
He enrolled in law school with the intention of serving in local
government as an elected official. Out of law school, Noah joined
the Montgomery County District Attorney's office, where he
prosecuted economic crimes against the elderly and sexual assault
cases. Noah has since transitioned to municipal law, representing
local officials and assisting them in making important decisions
about their communities.
" I chose a career in the law to go into public service...to give
back to my home county, " says Noah, adding " despite what some
may believe these days, I believe that government can be good,
that government at its core is meant to lift us up and bring us
together. I believe in efficient, effective, and ethic government.
In short, I believe in the 'politics of people' - that the good of the
people should be behind every decision a politician makes. "
When longtime Prothonotary Mark Levy decided not to
run for reelection in 2019, Noah seized the opportunity. " The
Prothonotary position was a good fit for me as an attorney, as a
litigator who actually uses the office. And, running in my home
county was the clear choice for me, as I always wanted to help the
folks in the community I grew up in. "
Noah was in office for just two months when the COVID-19
pandemic swept across the globe, upending life as we knew it.
Extreme mitigation measures were taken in
order to stem the spread of the deadly virus,
including the widespread closure of schools,
stores, restaurants, government buildings, and
more. There was no template for how to live
and operate during a global pandemic, which
had not occurred in over 100 years. What
became immediately clear was the need for
our county to continue to provide emergency
services to members of the community. County
and Judicial leadership ensured that the
Prothonotary's office remained open throughout
the pandemic to provide e-filing services,
in-person filing for emergency matters, and the processing of
protection from abuse orders.
As of June 14, 2021, the Prothonotary's offices in both
Norristown and Willow Grove reopened fully for filers of all
legal matters. Noah ensures that precautions will continue. " I
am very cognizant that a deadly virus is still out there, so we are
continuing to take all the necessary precautions, such as social
distancing requirements and plexiglass dividers. "
As things slowly return to normal, Noah hopes to continue
serving our legal community in his capacity as Prothonotary,
stating " As an attorney myself, I want to continue to make the
filing process easier for litigants. " His office also allows him
to serve the public, and Noah intends to focus on providing
assistance in landlord-tenant matters, which he expects to surge
in the coming months, as well as providing education about the
name change process, which can be daunting for residents.
The Montgomery Bar Association looks forward to
collaborating with Noah and providing support to the
Prothonotary's office whenever possible.
To learn more about Noah, listen to Episode 3 of the MBA's
Interrogatories with Josh Camson, available wherever you get
your podcasts! Also, follow Noah on Facebook (Prothonotary
Noah Marlier), Twitter (@MCoProthonotary), and at the official
Montgomery County Prothonotary's website:
org/prothy.
http://montcopa.
22 SIDEBAR
http://montgomerybar.org http://montcopa.org/prothy
SIDEBAR Summer 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of SIDEBAR Summer 2021
