January 20, 2021

Attorney General Healey, Chief Justice Budd, Michael Curry and Bar Leaders Advocate for Civil Legal Aid

Hundreds of attorneys and law students will urge legislators to support $35 million in state funding for civil legal aid at Talk to the Hill virtual lobby day on Jan. 27

Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Kimberly Budd, President & CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers Michael Curry, Esq., and prominent members of the Massachusetts legal community will rally online with hundreds of attorneys, law students, and advocates on Wednesday, Jan. 27 at 11 a.m. for Talk to the Hill for Civil Legal Aid. Attendees will ask state legislators to provide $35 million in fiscal year 2022 to the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation to fund organizations that provide legal advice and representation at no cost to low-income Massachusetts residents.

Talk to the Hill is the 22nd annual gathering of Massachusetts attorneys in support of legal aid funding through the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation. Typically, Walk to the Hill for Civil Legal Aid draws hundreds to the Massachusetts State House, but due to the pandemic, the event will be online for the first time.

“The principle of equal access to justice is a pillar of our Commonwealth,” said Louis Tompros, chair of the Equal Justice Coalition and partner at WilmerHale. “The need for quality civil legal representation for low-income people has increased dramatically during the pandemic. It is the safety net for people who have been rendered even more vulnerable by the COVID-19 crisis.”

Following the speaking program, attendees will move into virtual breakout rooms to speak directly to state legislators about the urgent need to increase funding for civil legal aid by $6 million, for a total of $35 million in the FY22 state budget.

LIST OF SPEAKERS

• Attorney General Maura Healey
• Chief Justice Kimberly Budd, Supreme Judicial Court
• Michael Curry, Esq., President & CEO, Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers
• Denise Murphy, President of the Massachusetts Bar Association
• Martin Murphy, President of the Boston Bar Association
• Lynne Parker, Executive Director, Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation
• Jacquelynne J. Bowman, Executive Director, Greater Boston Legal Services
• Legal Aid clients who received help during the pandemic will share how legal aid assisted them and their families
• Host: Louis Tompros, Chair, Equal Justice Coalition

Media are welcome to attend the speaking program and the virtual event is open to the public. Please register by January 26 at https://ejctalktothehill.org/

Contact: Michelle Deakin, mdeakin@mlac.org

About the EJC

The Equal Justice Coalition is a collaboration of the Boston Bar Association, Massachusetts Bar Association, and the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation working to increase state funding for civil legal aid.

www.equaljusticecoalition.org

@equaljusticema

#IWalkforJustice