SJC Standing Committee on Lawyer Well-Being: Report Summarizing Affinity Bar Town Hall Meetings All, It has been roughly three weeks since the Supreme Judicial Court Standing Committee on Lawyer Well-Being issued its Report Summarizing Affinity Bar Town Hall Meetings (the “Report”). The Report shines a necessary light on the issues facing attorneys and law students in the Commonwealth, particularly attorneys of color and historically excluded individuals.  Now where do we go from here? Apart from reading and re-distributing the Report to friends, family, colleagues, and peers, we must continue to speak up, as we have always done, in the face of injustice. We must also consider ways to effectuate concrete change in the Commonwealth. Simply meeting a diversity “quota” or providing a boilerplate training without more is wholly insufficient to addressing the real problems underrepresented groups face as legal professionals. Being an effective ally means listening to the issues faced by marginalized groups, understanding how this may impact their well-being and professional advancement, and taking a proactive role in ensuring marginalized groups are supported throughout their careers, both personally and professionally. The Massachusetts LGBTQ Bar Association was proud to participate in the Committee’s efforts and hope the Report serves both as a wake-up call for members of the Massachusetts bar as well as a path to move forward in addressing the many obstacles underrepresented and systematically oppressed populations still face in and outside of the Commonwealth. In the coming weeks, the Bar Association will be hosting a town hall to discuss the Report in greater detail and solicit input from our members for recommendations moving forward. Stay tuned for more. Sincerely,  Annika Bockius-Suwyn and Daniel Ball Co-Chairs of the Massachusetts LGBTQ Bar Association

 

SJC Standing Committee on Lawyer Well-Being's Supplemental Mentoring Program

 

This program is different from other programs that you may have experienced, as it allows mentees to browse through the registered mentors, and select and meet with multiple members, thus providing exposure to a variety of perspectives.  Importantly, this program is NOT intended to supplant or step on the toes of any existing mentoring programs, including those administered directly by your bar associations.  Instead, this is meant to be a supplement where junior attorneys can browse through the set of all registered mentors to find a variety of mentors and make a number of connections.

 

We are currently seeking both mentors and mentees interested in this program. Mentors must have over 10 years of practice experience, and mentees should have fewer than 10 years of experience.  We are committed to ensuring diversity among the participants in this program, but as of today, only 3 of the folks who've completed the signup survey have self-identified as racially/ethnically diverse, and only 2 have identified as LGBTQ.  

 

Therefore, we are spreading the word and circulating this link to the program to affinity bars: https://lawyerwellbeingma.org/news/mentorship-program-signup.  We are aiming to launch to program sometime this month (February 2021).

 

 

      

Welcome all Law Students!

It may not be the start of the school year you expected, but classes are back in session. Whether you are a 1L or a returning student, remote or in person, the Massachusetts LGBTQ Bar Association wishes you a great school year ahead! Don't forget that Student Memberships are FREE! We would love to welcome you into the network.

 

Be Part of the Fun! Don't forget that the the Bar Association has several Committees and Sections that are filled by members like you! Look through the list below and reach out if you have any interest in being a part of one (or more) of these dynamic groups. For more information on what each committee or section does, visit the "Sections and Committee" page on our website or send a message to Administrator@masslgbtqbar.org for more information. Committees: Membership Committee Western Massachusetts Committee Judiciary/Amicus Committee Legislative Committee Mentorship Committee Scholarship Committee Nominating/Elections Committee Audit Committee  Sections: Committee for Transgender Inclusion Immigration Section Family Law Section Women’s Forum Bisexual Lawyers of Boston Attorneys and Law Students of Color In House Section

2020/2021 Board of Directors Executive Board: Co-Chair: Annika Bockius-Suwyn Co-Chair: Daniel Ball Treasurer: Joseph P. Lucia Secretary: Drew Collins Board of Directors: Matthew Barison Nailah Freeman KG Gasseling Eva Jellison Lisa Lippiello Anthony Lombardi MyShawndria Ward

   MEMBERSHIP

    

Don't forget to renew! Your membership is important; it is through the support of our members that we are able to strengthen and grow the Association as well as serve the LGBTQ community.

For those impacted by COVID-19: Memberships are organized on a sliding scale! If your situation has changed since you last renewed, just sign up for the membership that best suits your current situation.

As a member, you will be able to access a wide range of benefits, resources and events. The full range of benefits and events can be found on our website at http://www.masslgbtqbar.org. Remember to create and/or update your profile on a periodic basis.

 

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to our Membership Committee chair, Joseph Lucia (joseph.lucia@mass.gov), or send a message to adminstrator@masslgbtqbar.org.