Students at 14 high schools in Chelsea, Fall River, Lawrence,
Springfield, Southbridge and Worcester will participate in the
Massachusetts Bar Association's Law Day Initiative focused on the
American Bar Association's 2012 Law Day theme -- "No Courts, No
Justice, No Freedom" -- throughout May (see logo top, right).
Volunteer attorney/judge teams from the MBA will visit each of
the participating high school classrooms to present the theme in a
lesson plan/debate called "Lee Richardson vs. Lincoln
State." The issue is whether the Lincoln law restricting when
an attorney will be appointed for a criminal defendant violates the
6th and 14th Amendments.
In addition, keeping with tradition since 1988, the MBA's Elder
Law Education Program, timed with the observance of Law Day in May,
will again match attorneys with senior citizens' service agencies
throughout the commonwealth to make free presentations about the
law.
This year, nearly 100 MBA member volunteers will make
presentations in about 140 participating senior centers, councils
on aging and other elder law related organizations. Due to the
generosity of the Massachusetts Bar Association's Insurance Agency,
the MBA is able to provide complimentary copies of "Taking Control
of Your Future: A Legal Checkup," a legal resource guide for
seniors.
The MBA thanks the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Academy
of Elder Law Attorneys and attorneys Alex L. Moschella and Michael
Couture for their generous contribution to the program and the
elder law guide.