Students in the MBA's Tiered Community Mentoring Program
observed two Supreme Judicial Court hearings on first-degree murder
appeal cases at the John Adams Courthouse in Boston on March 9.
The program provides high school, undergraduate and law school
students access to legal professionals to give them an
understanding of the legal profession and an awareness of the
career opportunities available to them. The program is based in
Boston in an effort to reach urban high school students, with a
focus on building a diverse mentoring network.
More than 30 students attended, including those from the New
Mission High School, Roxbury Community College and Suffolk
University Law School. Also in attendance were several of the
program's attorney mentors.
In addition to observing two hearings, the students were given
two presentations. The Hon. James F. McHugh, a recently retired
associate justice of the Massachusetts Appeals Court, opened the
event by giving an overview of the SJC and the appeals process. The
Hon. Peter Agnes Jr., an associate justice of the Massachusetts
Appeals Court, closed the event by answering students'
questions.
On April 26, all mentor and mentee participants in the 2012
MBA's Tiered Community Mentoring Program attended the formal
wrap-up event at the John Joseph Moakley U.S. District Courthouse.
Certificates of merit were handed out to participants as well as
scholarships to several chosen students from New Mission High
School, Roxbury Community College and Suffolk University Law
School.
During the program, mentees and mentors heard presentations from
Richard P. Campbell, MBA president; the Hon. Denise J. Casper, U.S
District Court Judge; Carmen M. Ortiz, U.S. attorney, District of
Massachusetts; and John Gibbons, U.S. marshall for the District of
Massachusetts.