Massachusetts Bar Association members celebrated this year's Law Day by reaching out to both young and senior generations.
May 1 was Law Day, which was established to celebrate and call attention to the principles of justice and the practice of law across the country. In Massachusetts, many MBA members marked Law Day by taking part in "Conversations on Law & Liberty in Times of Crisis," a volunteer-led discussion on legal issues with students, or by participating in the Elder Law program in which attorneys help senior citizens.
Students from Agawam High School honored Law Day participating in several "Conversations" program facilitated by MBA member and attorney Joe Pacella. During the program, Pacella and teacher Theresa Sullivan led students in discussions of the complex legal and civil liberties issues facing our nation in the wake of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Other "Conversations" programs were held around the state during May in honor of Law Day.
Also on May 1, MBA members presented six Elder Law programs, which were the first of 174 such events sponsored by the MBA in May.
During the Elder Law programs, MBA members volunteer to speak at local senior centers or councils on aging on various elder-law topics that range from basic legal issues (wills, trusts, health-care proxy) to more substantive areas (health insurance, Medicaid/ Medicare).
Senior organizations participating in the May 1 program included Westwood Senior Center, Rockport Council on Aging, East Longmeadow Council on Aging, East Brookfield Council on Aging and Medway Council on Aging. MBA member attorneys who participated include Wendy Crawshaw of Wellesley, Robert W. Cunningham of Gloucester, Diane T. Giunta of Fall River, William Lasher of Holden and Margaret Cross of Boston.