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Western Mass. MBA members offer legal advice during Pro Bono Week

Issue November 2014

Volunteer attorneys from the MBA fielded 173 phone calls on Oct. 22 at the MBA's semiannual Western Massachusetts Dial-A-Lawyer call-in program, hosted at Western New England University School of Law.

Residents of Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire counties had the opportunity to have their legal questions answered by local attorneys who volunteered their time during Pro Bono Week, which was celebrated from Oct. 19-25 this year. The legal advice was provided at no charge as a public service of the MBA.

The calls featured legal questions on a wide range of topic areas, including employment law, consumer law, tax law, real estate law, elder law and family law.

Launched in 1994, the MBA's Western Massachusetts Dial-A-Lawyer program is in its 20th year. The program is co-sponsored by Western New England University School of Law, The Republican, El Pueblo Latino, the Massachusetts Association of Hispanic Attorneys and the Hispanic National Bar Association.

"This program really provides a service to people who otherwise wouldn't have access to an attorney," said attorney Kimberly Klimczuk, who has been a Dial-A-Lawyer volunteer for several years.

"A lot of people can't afford legal bills, and they have real-life issues," added attorney James Winston.

The MBA thanks the following members for donating their time and expertise to this important public service effort:

  • Jeffrey A. Burstein, Burstein Law Offices, Springfield
  • Corey M. Carvalho, University of Massachusetts Legal Services, Amherst
  • Leslie A. Curley, Berkshire Mediation Group, Pittsfield
  • Michele Feinstein, Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin PC, Springfield
  • Stephanie Fitzgerald, Fitzgerald Attorneys at Law PC, East Longmeadow
  • Lisa L. Halbert, Bacon Wilson PC, Northampton
  • Kimberly Klimczuk, Skoler Abbott & Presser PC, Springfield
  • Stephen R. Manning, Stephen R. Manning PC, East Longmeadow
  • Amy J. Megliola, Siddall & Siddall PC, Springfield
  • Timothy F. Murphy, Skoler Abbott & Presser, PC, Springfield
  • Thomas O'Connor, Thomas D. O'Connor, Jr., Attorney at Law, Springfield
  • David W. Ostrander, Ostrander Law Office, Northampton
  • Stephen J. Phillips, Dunn & Phillips PC, Springfield
  • Katherine A. Robertson, Hampden County District Attorney's Office, Springfield
  • Daniel M. Rothschild, Bulkley, Richardson & Gelinas LLP, Springfield
  • Barry M. Ryan, Doherty, Wallace, Pillsbury & Murphy PC, Springfield
  • Michael Siddall, Siddall & Siddall PC, Springfield
  • James B. Winston, Winston Law Offices, Northampton