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Library

BBA reports examine issues of pressing concern to the legal community. 

09/12

Greening the Profession: Report of the Environmental Sustainability Task Force
 

03/12 

The Importance of Representation in Eviction Cases and Homelessness Prevention
 

10/11

Report of the Boston Bar Association Task Force on the Future of the Profession
 

05/11

Justice on the Road to Ruin: Report of the Boston Bar Association on the FY 2012 Judiciary Budget

03/10

Report of the Boston Bar Association Task Force on the FY2011 Judiciary Budget

12/09

Getting It Right, Improving the Accuracy and Reliability of the Criminal Justice System in Massachusetts

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Amicus Briefs

The BBA occasionally files Amicus Briefs in cases related to the practice of law or the administration of justice.
 3/13 Richard Morse, Trustee v. Jonathan A. Kraft, et al.
In a case with significant ramifications for trusts and estates practitioners and the clients they serve, the Boston Bar Association today filed an amicus brief urging the Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) to recognize that the power of a trustee to distribute trust property to beneficiaries also includes the power to distribute that property to another trust for the benefit of the beneficiary under Massachusetts law. The case before the court, Richard Morse, Trustee v. Jonathan A. Kraft, et al. was brought as a non-adversarial proceeding by a trustee of a trust for the purpose of having the SJC answer the question: Does a trustee have the power to make distributions in further trust for any beneficiary's benefit without the consent or approval of any beneficiary or court?

In its amicus brief the BBA makes the case that a trustee's broad discretion to distribute property outright to a beneficiary includes the authority to distribute property to a new trust for the benefit of the same beneficiary, subject to fiduciary limitations based upon the nature and purposes of the trust and the beneficiary's best interests.
 3/13  RFF Family Partnership v. Burns & Levinson.
Arguing that Massachusetts will benefit from stating a clear rule applying the attorney-client privilege when a lawyer consults with in-house ethics counsel, the Boston Bar Association (BBA) filed an amicus brief in RFF Family Partnership v. Burns & Levinson.

"The issue presented by this appeal is important for all of the BBA's members who practice their profession in law firms, large or small, and for their clients," argues the brief. "The BBA therefore supports the adoption by this Court of a clear rule providing that the attorney-client privilege applies when a lawyer consults with in-house ethics counsel."
 3/13 United States v. Windsor; Hollingsworth v. Perry. 
Underscoring its long-standing support for marriage equality, the Boston Bar Association today announced its role as a signatory in amicus briefs in two cases now before the Supreme Court of the United States: United States v. Windsor and Hollingsworth v. Perry. In both instances the BBA has joined a coalition of bar associations and civil and human rights groups, and public interest and legal services organizations.
 8/12 Fisher v. University of Texas, et. al.,

The Boston Bar Association filed an amicus brief in Fisher v. University of Texas, et. al., Supreme Court of the United States No. 11-354. The question the Supreme Court is expected to answer is "Whether [the] Court's decisions interpreting the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment, including Grutter v. Bollinger, permit the University of Texas at Austin's use of race in undergraduate admission decisions."

Joining the BBA in its amicus brief is a coalition of organizations united by a shared commitment to advancing diversity in the legal profession. These organizations share the BBA's concern for diversity in higher education, recognizing that diversity within the legal profession cannot be achieved without a pipeline of diverse law school students, and diversity at the law school level, in turn, cannot be supported without diverse representation in undergraduate institutions.

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Ethics Opinions

The BBA issues written opinions from time to time in response to members' questions and questions raising issues of general interest to the bar.

The Parents’ How-to Guide to Children’s Mental Health Services in Massachusetts was created by the Boston Bar Association with support from Children’s Hospital Boston. It is an informational resource and easy reference tool to make navigating the system simpler for families with children in need of mental health services. Each chapter of the Guide covers a specific topic and offers useful tips for parents and advocates.


Boston Bar Journal

The Boston Bar Journal is an online quarterly publication of the Boston Bar Association. We present timely information, analysis, and opinions to more than 10,000 lawyers in nearly every practice area. Our authors are attorneys, judges, and others interested in the development of the law. Our articles are practical and of broad interest. Our publication is a must-read for lawyers who value being well informed on important matters of legal interest. The Boston Bar Journal is governed by a volunteer Board of Editors dedicated to publishing outstanding articles that reflect their authors' independent thought, and not necessarily the views of the Board or the Boston Bar Association.