Matthew Fitzsimmons, Law Office of
Matthew P. Fitzsimmons
Michelle
Kalas, Riemer & Braunstein LLP
How does the Junior Fellows program
differ from the Society of Fellows?
Matt – “The
Junior Fellows program was created to give younger lawyers (in practice 10 years
or less) an entry point to become more involved within the BBF. The Junior
Fellows program attracts new lawyers and law students and cultivates them into
becoming future leaders of the BBF. This differs from the Society of Fellows
program because it’s more focused on getting these young lawyers involved and
active in the BBF through social events and group public service
projects.”
What
activities do Junior Fellows participate in within the BBF?
Michelle -
"Junior Fellows take part in a number of activities throughout the year,
including happy hour socials, fundraising events, a special VIP reception before
Casino Night, and public service days."
Why
is it important for young lawyers to participate in philanthropic
giving?
Michelle -
“Serving the community is an important aspect of the legal profession and
getting involved with the BBF allows younger lawyers an opportunity to step into
this role earlier in their career then they might otherwise be able to if they
were seeking to serve in the same capacity with a similarly sized non-legal
charity. In addition, the BBF supports causes that impact lawyers on a daily
basis and organizations that lawyers regularly work with in their practice or
volunteer on behalf of.”
How
does the Junior Fellows program support the BBF?
Matt – “The
money raised from Junior Fellows pledges goes 100% to the BBF’s endowment, which
helps ensure the sustainability of the organization into the future, and also
creates a lasting and permanent gift from the members.”
How
should someone interested in joining the Junior Fellows get
involved?
Michelle –
“Someone interested in joining the Junior Fellows should attend the Fellows Open
House event, held at the Boston Bar Association in January or one of the
multiple Junior Fellows happy hours throughout the year. Anyone should feel free
to reach out to me, Matt or BBF staff directly to learn more about getting more
involved.”