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Notable & Quotable: MBA members in the media

Thursday, Jan. 8, 2015

Notable & Quotable

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Criminal justice attorney compensation

Marsha

"My colleagues and I on the Governor's Commission believe there is no question that significant and immediate salary increases are necessary to remedy the woeful compensation paid to our assistant district attorneys, who are paid less than courtroom custodians, and to our public defenders, who are the lowest paid in the country."

MBA President Marsha V. Kazarosian, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, January 5

Kazarosian was quoted in a Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly piece on a report issued by the Commission to Study Compensation of Assistant District Attorneys and Staff Attorneys for the Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS). The report recommends a minimum salary of $55,360 for both assistant district attorneys and CPCS staff attorneys be implemented in the next three years. Kazarosian served as a member of the Commission.

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Gov. Patrick's impact on the judiciary

Healy for Notable

"He's had a very dramatic impact on the workings of the court system. Much more than any governor in recent history."

MBA Chief Legal Counsel and Chief Operating Officer Martin W. Healy, Boston Globe, December 21, 2014

Healy was quoted in a Globe story on the impact Gov. Deval L. Patrick had on the judiciary during his eight-year tenure. Commenting on Patrick's judicial nominations, Healy noted that "This governor has taken more of a bold step and said 'I want a bench that reflects not only the diversity of Massachusetts, but the diversity of the legal community.' " Healy was also quoted in a piece on Patrick's judicial appointments in the Daily News of Newburyport.

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'Solve It 7': Stolen Scooter

Harnais

"It would be absolutely unjust for the city to try and collect money from somebody that did nothing at all but be a victim of a crime."

MBA President-elect Robert W. Harnais, WHDH TV (Channel 7), December 18, 2014

In this segment of "Solve It 7" Harnais provided legal analysis on the case of a stolen scooter. When the scooter eventually showed up at a city tow lot it had been badly damaged beyond repair. But the city attempted to charge the scooter's owner $900 for an abandoned vehicle even though it had been reported as stolen. As a result of the "Solve It 7" investigation, all charges were dismissed.

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Jury selection process

Lesser

"We want to show that in the United States of America we give fair trials. Each case is totally different so in one case you might want a particular type of juror, whereas you wouldn't want that juror in another case. The identical juror."

MBA member Thomas Lesser of Lesser, Newman & Nasser, LLP in Northampton, ABC 40-Springfield, January 6

Lesser was interviewed by ABC 40 (Springfield) as part of a story explaining the jury selection process in light of the jury selection going on in the Tsarnaev case in Boston.

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Of note:

  • In addition to the clip mentioned above, MBA Chief Legal Counsel and Chief Operating Officer Martin W. Healy was also quoted by The Republican/MassLive.com in a story on Attorney General-elect Maura Healey becoming the nation's first openly gay attorney general.
  • MBA members Dawn D. McDonald and Kyle R. Guelcher were featured in the monthly legal Q&A column in the The Republican/MassLive.com. ("Ask the Experts: 300 days to file discrimination, retaliation complaint in Massachusetts - Jan. 4).
  • The MBA's mock trial program was mentioned as part of a Worcester Magazine story on Worcester teams preparing for the competition. (Dec. 31)