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Court and Community News

Thursday, May 4, 2023
Superior Court seeks comments on proposed amendments to Rule 9C(a); USDC notice on attorney re-registration; Job opening: Member of the Parole Board; Attorney positions at Social Security Office of Program Litigation

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Superior Court seeks comments on proposed amendments to Rule 9C(a)  

The Superior Court Rules and Forms Committee is soliciting comments on proposed amendments to Superior Court Rule 9C(a).

The revisions to Rule 9C(a) reinforce that the obligation to confer is ongoing up to the time of any hearing, toward the goal of narrowing areas of disagreement. The amendments underscore that the parties should expect that the court will attend only to matters that the parties genuinely dispute, based upon sound legal and factual foundation as of the time that they file the motion papers.

The proposed amendments can be found here.

Comments should be sent to alex.philipson@jud.state.ma.us, or to Alex Philipson, Legal Counsel, Massachusetts Superior Court, Three Pemberton Square, 13th Floor, Boston, MA 02108.

The deadline for submitting comments is June 2.

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USDC notice on attorney re-registration

At a meeting held on Dec. 13, 2022, the judges of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts approved a biennial re-registration for all member of the bar effective Sept. 1, 2023. Beginning on that date, admitted attorneys will be required to re-register biennially for a fee of $50 to continue as active members of the bar.

All federal government attorneys are exempt from re-registration. Active status in the District Court is required for practice in both the U.S. District Court and in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Massachusetts.

Attorneys will be notified 60 days before a re-registration fee is due through an automated email. All attorneys who were admitted on or prior to Sept. 1, 2021, will have to re-register by Sept. 1, 2023. All attorneys admitted after Sept. 1, 2021, will have to re-register on their biennial anniversary.

If attorneys fail to pay their re-registration dues, they will not be able to electronically file. Attorneys can access their CM/ECF account and pay their re-registration fees to enable their filing privilege. The court will not charge any penalties for late payment of fees.

On July 1, information for attorney re-registration will be available on the court’s website
at www.mad.uscourts.gov.

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Job Openings

Member of the Parole Board

The commonwealth is accepting applications to fill a vacancy on the Massachusetts Parole Board, which is the sole decisional authority for matters of parole granting and parole revocation.  

Parole Board members act in a quasi-judicial function, are appointed by the governor and need to be confirmed by the Governor’s Council. It is the responsibility of the seven members of the Parole Board to guide and oversee all aspects of this 200-employee, 40 location, statewide operation.

The Parole Board, on a monthly basis, travels to all correctional facilities around the state to conduct parole hearings and render decisions on over 3,000 cases annually, to include, if, when and how an individual will be allowed to complete their sentence in the community under supervision. These range from individuals serving sentences of 60 days in the house of correction up to and including second-degree murderers who receive a life sentence, and those who were convicted of first-degree murder as a juvenile.

Click here for more information and application instructions.

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Attorney positions at Social Security Office of
Program Litigation

The Social Security Administration’s (SSA) Office of the General Counsel (OGC) is seeking talented attorneys throughout the U.S. for its Office of Program Litigation (OPLit). OGC attorneys are eligible to work virtually with telework and remote work options.

The office promotes, advocates for and protects the SSA’s legal interests in federal court litigation involving Social Security benefit programs. OPLit attorneys partner with the Department of Justice and often serve as special assistant U.S. attorneys. OPLit attorneys represent the SSA in federal district and circuit court challenges to SSA policies and benefit determinations. The work entails appellate-style litigation that requires a strong interest in and aptitude for legal writing, oral advocacy and public service.

Applications must include a cover letter, resume, law school transcript, proof of active bar membership, list of professional references and legal writing sample (max. 15 pages). Submit a complete application package to OGC.OPLit.Div1.Recruitment@ssa.gov.

Attorneys will be hired at the GS-11 through GS-14 salary levels, which range from $69,107 to $151,308. Click here to see the salary range in your location and here for the full job description.