Massachusetts Court System FY 2011 Annual Report
release
To view the submitted Annual Report on the State of the
Massachusetts Court System for Fiscal Year 2011, visit www.mass.gov/courts.
Access to Justice Commission launches new Pro Bono
Fellows Program
The Massachusetts Access to Justice Commission will launch a first
of-its-kind Pro Bono Fellows Program in which senior lawyers will
partner with non-profit and legal service organizations to provide
critical legal assistance to underserved populations. Seven
distinguished, experienced lawyers - who have retired or are
transitioning into retirement - have been selected by the
commission to participate in the statewide pilot project to help
expand legal services to persons of limited means.
The first Access to Justice Fellows and their partners are as
follows:
- Hon. Patrick Fox, district court judge
(1990-2010): Massachusetts Justice Project, Dismas House,
Lutheran Social Services of New England
- Martha Koster, Mintz Levin litigation
partner: Political Asylum/Immigration Representation Project
(PAIR), Access to Justice Fellows Project
- William Patton, Ropes & Gray retired
litigation partner: Volunteer Lawyers Project/Senior Partners
for Justice
- Robert Sable, Greater Boston Legal
Services, former executive director: Greater Boston Legal
Services
- Richard Soden, Goodwin Procter business
law partner: Lawyers Clearinghouse
- Eileen Sorrentino, retired solo
practitioner from Chicopee: Volunteer Lawyers Project/Senior
Partners for Justice
- Robert Tuchmann, WilmerHale Regulatory and
Government Affairs and Corporate and Transactional departments
retired partner: The Trustees of Reservations, Environmental
League of Massachusetts, Community Dispute Settlement Center,
development of urban agriculture
The Massachusetts Access to Justice Commission Fellows Working
Group will meet with each fellow to design a project together with
the provider or non-profit. The non-profit will provide training
and support while law firms will provide resources, such as
administrative support and office space. Each fellow is expected to
devote between 10 to 20 hours per week to individual pro bono
projects. In addition, the fellows will also meet once a month with
community leaders, legal services providers, and public interest
organizations, among others, to gain an in-depth understanding of
the specific needs of the communities they will be serving. Susan
Finegan and Martha Koster, partners at the law firm of Mintz Levin,
led the Access to Justice Working Group in designing the
program.
Amendment to SJC Rule 3:03
The Supreme Judicial Court has approved changes to Rule 3:03 of
the Rules of the Supreme Judicial Court effective Monday, Oct. 15,
2012.