For the judges in our court system, 2014 is indeed a
happy new year, thanks to their long-awaited judicial pay
raise, which goes into effect this year. As members of the
Massachusetts Bar Association, we can also take pride in the MBA's
longstanding support, which helped push through this well-deserved
increase. But we cannot sit on our laurels. Court funding and
funding for legal aid remains a critical issue, despite our recent
success.
Later this month we will once again "Walk to the Hill" in support
of civil legal aid. I encourage you to join us on Jan. 30, for one
of the largest lobbying events in the commonwealth, where hundreds
of lawyers will fill the Great Hall at the State House to request
more funding for the Massachusetts Legal Assistance
Corporation.
In the spirit of this important annual tradition, I'm pleased to
launch a new program, which I call "12 for 12," where we will
invite the public to be allies in our annual call for court
funding. We will ask 12,000 lawyers to ask 12 of their clients to
send letters to their elected representatives requesting increased
legal aid and support for our courts. Once the governor announces
his budget proposal we have a critical 12-week period to make our
voices heard before the House and Senate take up their budget
deliberations. That's why we're acting now. The MBA will provide
the background information and resources for you and your clients
this month. I'm asking you to help us get the word out.
"12 for 12" is a new strategy for a new landscape. While lawyers,
especially those of us at the MBA, have a history of speaking up
for the courts and legal aid, today we face the reality of a
different kind of Legislature, where lawyers no longer dominate the
ranks of our elected officials. By getting our clients involved,
"12 for 12" will send a strong message that court funding and
funding for legal aid are not just lawyer issues, they are issues
that touch everyday citizens - their constituents.
Many people aren't aware that they need effective courts
until they need an effective court, but we understand that this is
an ongoing, systemic problem. It impacts public hours and staffing
levels, whether you're someone who needs to resolve a dispute or
someone looking to file an important document to protect your
family. And funding for civil legal aid directly impacts access to
justice for the people in our communities who need it most: victims
of domestic violence, the elderly and infirmed, the homeless and
others who are often lost without free legal representation. Once
we explain to our clients the importance of having swift and
effective courts and equal access to justice, we can harness the
power of their collective voices and highlight the strong public
need for proper funding.
Not only do courts need more funding, so do many of the people who
keep them running, especially in our criminal justice system.
That's why last month I also appointed a Blue Ribbon Commission to
study how low salaries for prosecutors and public defenders are
impacting our courts - the first since the MBA's "Callahan Report"
in 1994. I am grateful to Past MBA President Richard Campbell, who
has agreed to chair this important undertaking, which also features
some of the brightest minds from government, law and
business.
Thanks to our unwavering advocacy, our court system is well on the
way to recovery. But it's still not where it needs to be. I firmly
believe that if you don't get your desired result, you must keep
trying new approaches until you achieve your goal. "12 for 12" and
our Blue Ribbon Commission are part of this new thinking.
We will have a properly funded court system that reflects its
importance in the commonwealth. And we won't stop working for it
until we do.