Boston Bar Association

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BBA Offers Training on Advocacy for At-Risk Youth

Delivery of Legal Services experts will provide pro bono attorneys with the knowledge and tools to represent youth who are facing long-term suspension or expulsion at this one of a kind training. Learn more or register here.

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Read this week's Issue Spot

Legislative Update: Informal Session and the Judiciary Committee. For the full post, click here.

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Practicing with Professionalism Program at the BBA

If you are a recently admitted lawyer in MA, take a look at the BBA's Practicing with Professionalism Page to register. Don't delay, two dates are already sold out!

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Where will you be on January 25?

The 2014 BBF Adams Benefit is taking place on 1/25 at 6pm at the Museum of Fine Arts, and already more than 610 people are looking forward to attending. This year’s event will include a special presentation of the 2014 BBF Public Service Award to Thomas Menino for his extraordinary leadership and dedication to our city throughout his two decades of service as Mayor. Learn more.

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Give Thanks By Giving Back With the BBF

In this season of giving, consider making a contribution to the BBF, which is hard at work creating opportunities for Boston’s youth, providing assistance for individuals and families facing homelessness, or helping veterans learn their legal rights. Learn more or donate here.

Legislative Action Alert from BBA President J.D. Smeallie

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Thank you for your continued commitment to funding civil legal aid for low-income residents of Massachusetts. Our civil legal aid programs are sorely underfunded and the dramatic decrease in IOLTA revenue has made the state appropriation more important than ever before. We need your help.

This week, the Senate Ways and Means Committee released its budget and recommended funding for the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation (MLAC) line item (0321-1600) at $12 million for Fiscal Year 2014. The Senate Ways and Means budget proposal is $3.5 million short of MLAC’s request of $15.5 million. Legal aid organizations will be forced to further cut services if the Senate Ways and Means recommendation is not increased.

Senator Katherine Clark filed an amendment, which will bring the MLAC line item to $15.5 million, in the Senate’s budget proposal. Although amendment numbers are not yet available, please call, email, or direct tweet your state senator today and ask for two things:

Co-sponsor Senator Clark’s MLAC amendment to increase the MLAC line item to $15.5 million. Getting your state senator to sign on to the amendment is not enough.
Contact Senate President Murray and Senate Ways and Means Chair Brewer and specifically ask that each convey his or her support for Senator Clark’s MLAC amendment.

I’ve included some helpful information from MLAC . Thank you for all that you do to support access to justice for all in the Commonwealth.

Click here to find your state senator.

Sincerely,
J.D. Smeallie
BBA President

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