FEATURED EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES 

 

COVID Eviction Legal Help Project

Seeks Attorneys, Pro Bono Attorneys and Paralegals

 

The COVID Eviction Legal Help Project (CELH Project) was formed to expand the capacity of existing legal aid organizations in Massachusetts, as well as the pro bono bar, to provide urgently needed legal assistance in COVID-related eviction cases.  The Commonwealth has engaged the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation (MLAC) to provide a statewide coordinated legal services delivery system to deliver free legal assistance to income eligible tenants facing eviction due to COVID-19 and also to income-eligible owner occupants of 2- and 3- family homes. 

The CELH Project will provide referrals, legal information, assistance and legal representation in all 23 sittings of the Housing Court, and where capacity allows will also provide legal assistance in District Courts with a high volume of summary process caseloads. The goal of representation is to achieve housing stability.

 

MLAC will partner with Massachusetts Law Reform Institute and the Volunteer Lawyers Project to develop two separate but closely related initiatives:

The success of this critical statewide access to justice initiative will depend on the active participation of attorneys, both within legal services organizations and as pro bono attorneys. 

Attorneys and paralegals interested in applying for a full-time, paid position at a legal aid organization should review the job posting at https://mlac.org/resources/careers/ or under the "Recent Job Listings" tab on the right..

 

Attorneys interested in providing pro bono assistance should contact Miranda Black at Mblack@vlpnet.org. 

 

    

 

A Message On Behalf of the Massachusetts LGBTQ Bar Association

As members of the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts LGBTQ Bar Association, we write to voice our vehement opposition to the nomination and arbitrary confirmation process of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court of the United States.   Since its founding in 1985, the Massachusetts LGBTQ Bar Association has worked to promote the advancement of the LGBTQ+ legal community throughout the state. Our organization does so in a variety of ways, including promoting the fair and just treatment of the LGBTQ+ community under law, collaborating with other affinity bar associations to advocate for underrepresented communities, and encouraging representation of the LGBTQ community in the judiciary.  Today we face an historic crisis. COVID-19 has left the world reeling from social isolation, job loss, and a devastating incidence of illness and death. In this time of suffering, our country should be able to look to its leaders for stability and assistance. We are deeply troubled to see instead a myopic political polarization spurring an erratic and imprudent Supreme Court nomination.  Never before has a nomination been considered so close in time to an election. Never before has a nomination been propelled so rapidly through the process, leaving scant time to vet adequately the nominee’s legal acumen or evaluate their objectivity and commitment to the rule of law.  We have grave concerns regarding Judge Barrett’s bias against the LGBTQ+ community and that this process has not given our elected officials sufficient time to comprehend the threat her stances pose to human rights in our country. Her public skepticism of Obergefell v. Hodges, which granted the right to same-sex marriages nationwide, and Bostock v. Clayton County, which extended Title VII workplace protections to the LGBTQ+ community, suggests a disturbing willingness to disregard precedent in favor of a political agenda to strip LGBTQ+ persons of equal protection under the law.  Further, Judge Barrett’s personal demeanor towards the LGBTQ+ community is an affront; during her confirmation hearing, she repeatedly mis-gendered a transgender individual and minimized the innate nature of sexual orientation and gender identity. She has participated in multiple trainings funded by an anti-LGBTQ+ organization that has been designated a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Judge Barrett’s conduct and associations show a disdain for LGBTQ+ persons that is undignified and inappropriate to be exhibited by a member of our highest court.  This nomination is a threat to the fair and just treatment of the LGBTQ+ community under the law. A candidate with such clear biases should not be rushed through to a lifetime appointment; we vigorously oppose this haphazard proceeding and urge that Amy Coney Barrett not be confirmed to the Supreme Court.   October 20, 2020

Time for an Upgrade

Over the coming weeks, we will be working on upgrading our website, and we want to hear from you! What changes do you want to see? Send your suggestions to Drew Collins at collins.ajm@gmail.com. 

 

   

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

Congratulations to our 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.