Previous Events & CLE Programs
May 12, 2008
Section Meeting
Public Benefits Law
Naomi Meyer, Greater Boston Legal Services, will lead this program on public benefits, which impact numerous families throughout Massachusetts and are at the core of many significant public policy debates. Specific topics include:
- "Welfare reform" and its fallout,
- Eligibility of immigrants and
- The impact on people with disabilities.
We will also discuss individual legal representation as well as legislative and public policy work occurring in these areas.
April 14, 2008
Section Meeting
Prisoners in Massachusetts: An Eye-Opening Forum
Join Leslie Walker, Jim Pingeon, Brad Brockmann and Karim Wahidof of Massachusetts Correctional Legal Services, as they focus on prison and re-entry including CORI. Experienced civil rights litigators will describe their current practice including litigation and administrative advocacy on behalf of Massachusetts' 25,000 prisoners and will discuss opportunities for private bar involvement. We will also be showing a provocative DVD! Please come.
March 10, 2008
Section Meeting
Special Education Law
Family Law issues often arise during the most difficult and challenging times in people's lives. Often those with low incomes are left to represent themselves in matters involving domestic abuse, custody, support, divorce and visitation. Legal representation in these matters is crucial and there is a tremendous need for legal assistance in this area. Barbara Mitchell, Community Legal Services and Counseling Center, will discuss these topics, the roles of attorneys in these areas, and programs providing representation to people with low income.
February 11, 2008
Section Meeting
Special Education Law
Join Julia Landau, Massachusetts Advocates for Children, Daniel T.S. Heffernan, President of Board of Directors, Federation for Children with Special Needs, and Jeanine Solomon, The Disability Law Center, as they discuss special education law, the roles of attorneys and programs providing representation to families with children with special needs.
The provision of appropriate special education services to children with disabilities is an area with wide ranging impact, particularly for families, school districts, and educators. Legal representation of families with children with disabilities is an area of tremendous need in Massachusetts. Many families battle pro se with school districts in disputes over topics such as eligibility for special education services, the delivery of appropriate services within the public school, placement in specialized private schools, MCAS and school discipline.
December 3, 2007
Section Meeting
From Homelessness to Foreclosure: How Pro-bono Lawyers Can Help
Join us as housing experts from GBLS and other front-line housing advocates to learn about the dynamics of housing advocacy for low-income individuals and families, and get familiar with programs that need pro bono support to keep vulnerable populations housed. There will be brief substantive presentations, and lots of time for questions and pro bono match-making. This will be the first in a five-part series.
November 5, 2007
Section Meeting
From Homelessness to Foreclosure: How Pro-bono Lawyers Can Help
Join us as housing experts from GBLS and other front-line housing advocates to learn about the dynamics of housing advocacy for low-income individuals and families, and get familiar with programs that need pro bono support to keep vulnerable populations housed. There will be brief substantive presentations, and lots of time for questions and pro bono match-making. This will be the first in a five-part series.
*** From 12:00 - 12:30 p.m. Gerry Singsen will discuss the recently released Access to Justice Commission report. The above meeting featuring experts from GBLS will be from 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. Please feel free to come to just one part or both parts of the discussion.
October 1, 2007
Section Meeting
Program Planning
Join us at our first meeting of the year as we plan our activties for the year with an emphasis on networking among the offices that provide legal services (including the smaller IOLTA grantees) and lawyers that want to help the poor access the courts.
June 11, 2007
Panel Discussion
Panel Discussion And Reception: Fourth Annual State of the Courts
Sponsors
Administration of Justice Section
Criminal Law Section
Delivery of Legal Services Section
Litigation Section
Topics to be explored include:
- The current state of the Massachusetts courts, including the successes and challenges of court reform and the legislative goals and funding for the courts in FY08 and beyond;
- The status of the ongoing efforts of the SJC's Committee on Trial Transcripts
- The status of the implementation of MassCourts Project - the Commonwealth state of the art, integrated case-management system;
- The status of various programs in the Superior Court, including the Business Litigation Session, the firm and fair trial date initiative and others;
- A report from the SJC Steering Committee on Self-Represented Litigants, including a description of the Pilot Program that would permit attorneys to provide discrete task representation (unbundled legal services) in two Probate and Family Court pilot sites.
Principal Speakers:
- The Honorable Margaret H. Marshall, Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court
- The Honorable Cynthia J. Cohen, Associate Justice of the Appeals Court
- The Honorable James F. McHugh, Associate Justice of the Appeals Court
- The Honorable Mark V. Green, Associate Justice of the Appeals Court
- The Honorable Barbara J. Rouse, Chief Justice of the Superior Court
- The Honorable Phillip Rapoza, Chief Justice of the Appeals Court
- The Honorable Robert A. Mulligan, Chief Justice for Administration and Management of the Trial Court
Moderator:
June 11, 2007
Section Meeting
Opportunities in Immigration
Immigration problems plague a large segment of the vulnerable indigent population in our state. Join us as we hear from three experienced immigration practitioners about the legal needs in Massachusetts and what both public and private attorneys can do to help.
May 2, 2007
Section Meeting
The BBA Welcomes Ben Clements
Sponsors
Delivery of Legal Services Section
Administration of Justice Section
Criminal Law Section
Ben Clements, Chief Legal Counsel to Governor Deval Patrick, will outline his priorities within the Patrick administration, with specific emphasis on criminal matters. Please join us for this unique opportunity to hear from and speak with Ben about his plans.
March 16, 2007
Section Meeting
A View to Guantanamo
Sponsors
Civil Rights & Civil Liberties Section
Delivery of Legal Services Section
Labor & Employment Section
Ellen Lubell and Doris Tennant of Tennant Lubell, LLC, having recently returned from visiting their client in Guantanamo Bay, will discuss the challenges - both legal and personal - of representing a detainee.
March 12, 2007
Section Meeting
Critical DLS Issues
Please join us in a discussion of critical issues facing legal services clients in Massachusetts today. Please come with a (mental) list of the most critical issues, any ideas you have for addressing those issues and your ideas for increasing the DLS membership.
January 22, 2007
Section Meeting
Ellen Hemley will discuss the work of the Legal Aid University, especially as it relates to training pro bono attorneys. For more information on advocate training at Legal Aid University, please click here. To read David Whelan’s article about online training with Legal Aid University, please click here.
December 11, 2006
Section Meeting
Please join us for our upcoming meeting. Topics of discussion will include:
- Update on the law school loan forgiveness legislation and program planning.
- Discussion of What constitutes pro bono legal services and how that definition relates to the mission of the Section. We will also be planning an event with outside speakers addressing this definition issue.
June 12, 2006
Section Meeting
Agenda
Welcome
Co-Chairs Leslee Klein and Mitch Kaplan
Minutes
Approval of minutes from last meeting.
Business Items
- Discussion: Voluntary check off on annual renewal with the BBO to increase access to justice.
- Review of Section Meetings from the past year and discussion of topics for next year’s meetings.
- Thank you to Leslee.
New Business/Announcements
May 8, 2006
Section Meeting
Massachusetts Access to Justice Commission
The Honorable Herbert P. Wilkins, retired Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, will give a special presentation on the Massachusetts Access to Justice Commission.
The steering committee will meet at 12:00 p.m., before the Section meeting.
April 18, 2006
Section Event
Third Annual State of the Courts - Panel Discussion and Reception
Sponsored by Administration of Justice Section, Delivery of Legal Services Section and Litigation Section
Topics to be explored include:
- The current state of the Massachusetts courts, including the successes and challenges of court reform and the legislative goals and funding for the courts in FY07 and beyond.
- A report from the SJC Steering Committee on Self-Represented Litigants, including a description of the Pilot Program that would permit attorneys to provide discrete task representation (unbundled legal services) in two Probate and Family Court pilot sites.
- The status of the ongoing efforts to computerize the operations of the courts.
- The status of various initiatives in the Superior Court, including the firm and fair trial date initiative.
Principal Speakers:
- The Honorable Margaret H. Marshall, Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court
- The Honorable Cynthia J. Cohen, Associate Justice of the Appeals Court
- The Honorable James F. McHugh, Associate Justice of the Appeals Court
- The Honorable Barbara J. Rouse, Chief Justice of the Superior Court
March 13, 2006
Section Meeting
ABA Task Force on Access to Justice
Agenda
Please join us for a special presentation by members of the ABA Task Force on Access to Justice.
Speakers:
The steering committee will meet at 12:30 p.m., before the Section meeting at 1:00 p.m. Please see the agenda below for more information.
February 13, 2006
Section Meeting
Pro Bono Update
The meeting will be attended by leaders of the pro bono programs of several law firms and legal services providers. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the pro bono programs that are ongoing in the private firms and the needs of the front line legal services providers. We will also discuss ways in which these programs can be coordinated to best serve the needs of clients.
January 9, 2006
Section Meeting
BBA Pro Bono Activities
Paul D. Dullea, BBA Director of Community Affairs, will lead a discussion of pro bono activities within other BBA Sections. Pro Bono Committee Co-Chairs from each section have been invited to attend.
December 6, 2005
Loan Forgiveness Program
Loan Forgiveness Program
The burden of law school loans at times makes it impossible for lawyers who wish to commit themselves to public service to pursue careers in their chosen fields. This is too frequently true whether a lawyer is working in a district attorney’s, legal services or public defenders office. Legislators, bar associations and law school administrators have been searching for solutions. In Massachusetts, loan forgiveness legislation has been filed. The BBA has gathered a distinguished panel to discuss this issue, the legislation pending in Massachusetts and what members of the bar can do to help find a solution.
Panelists to include:
- Emily A. Spieler, Dean, Northeastern University School of Law
- Robert A. Sable, Executive Director, Greater Boston Legal Services
- William J. Leahy, Chief Counsel, Committee for Public Counsel Services
- Representative Eugene L. O’Flaherty, House Chairman, Joint Committee on the Judiciary
- Daniel F. Conley, District Attorney, Suffolk County
- Daniel Haley, Deputy Counsel, Office of the Governor of the Commonwealth
- Jeffrey Smith, Co-Director of Public Interest Advising, Northeastern University School of Law
Co-Sponsored by:
Delivery of Legal Services, Administration of Justice, Litigation and New Lawyers Sections of the Boston Bar Association
November 14, 2005
Section Meeting
Recent Legal Triumphs & Struggles on Behalf of Low-Income Clients in Massachusetts
Please join us for a special presentation by guest speakers Nancy Lorenz, Senior Attorney in GBLS’ Health and Disabilities Unit and Jennifer A. Cardello of Foley Hoag LLP who will discuss recent legal triumphs and struggles on behalf of low-income clients.
Ms. Lorenz will discuss the Sabbag case, a successful class action which gained improved home nursing care to severely disabled children receiving Medicaid.
Ms. Cardello will discuss a case handled on a pro bono basis which involved domestic violence, interstate parental kidnapping, immigration, interpreter and jurisdictional issues.
The steering committee will meet at 12:00 p.m., before the Section meeting. Click here for agenda.
September 12, 2005
Section Meeting
The next meeting of the Delivery of Legal Services Section will be on Monday, September 12, 2005, at 12:30 p.m. at the Boston Bar Association. The steering committee will meet at 12:00 p.m., before the Section meeting. Click here for agenda.
|
