Over the past decade, volunteer lawyers have passed through the Boston
Housing Court offering their assistance to unrepresented tenants and landlords
on Eviction Day. This joint effort of the Volunteer Lawyers Project of the
Boston Bar Association, the Boston Housing Court and the Boston Bar
Association's Real Estate Section seeks to provide access to justice to pro se
litigants though advice, mediation and litigating cases.
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"The Lawyer for a Day Program allows lawyers who might otherwise not have the
chance to give back to the community and serve the Commonwealth's system of
justice" said Co-Chair of the Real Estate Pro Bono Committee, Bob Foster of
Rackemann, Sawyer & Brewster. "It's good for the tenants and landlords who
get the help of experienced and sophisticated real estate attorneys; it's good
for the Housing Court, which sees pro se litigants get advice that makes their
cases get resolved more quickly and fairly; and it's good for the lawyers who
gain the satisfaction of helping their fellow citizens who are in need."
Over the course of the program's 11 year history, it is estimated that more
than 1,100 lawyers have assisted over 14,000 individuals. In response to these
staggering numbers and the pro se parties need for continued representation, the
Lawyer for a Day Program expanded to include a litigation component where
lawyers provide full representation to individuals involved in eviction
trials.
"Many pro se litigants need volunteer attorneys who will take their case
on a pro bono basis and represent them through trial" said Joanna Allison of the
Volunteer Lawyers Project. "For many, this keeps them from losing their
homes."
The Boston Bar Association's Real Estate Section and Volunteer Lawyers
Project have developed a training session for volunteers interested in taking on
full representation in an eviction trial. For more information about the
training session, click
here.