May 31, 2022

Community Legal Aid Names Lyonel Jean-Pierre Jr. as Managing Attorney of its Worcester Office

BY LAURA HANCOCK BARRY, DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, COMMUNITY LEGAL AID(508) 425-2798 / LHBARRY@cla-ma.org

Community Legal Aid, a non-profit organization that provides free legal services to low-income and elderly residents of Central and Western Massachusetts, is pleased to announce that Lyonel Jean-Pierre Jr. has joined the organization as Managing Attorney of its Worcester Office.

As Managing Attorney, Attorney Jean-Pierre oversees a team of attorneys, paralegals, AmeriCorps advocates and support staff who provide civil (non-criminal) legal assistance to elders facing abuse or exploitation, at-risk students needing school-based services, victims of domestic violence seeking protective orders and/or family law assistance, individuals and families facing homelessness, and those in need of public benefits including food stamps, Social Security/SSI, and unemployment. He will also spearhead community outreach to local social service agencies and to residents of Worcester County who may be eligible for services from Community Legal Aid. Attorney Jean-Pierre joins a management team of four attorneys who manage Community Legal Aid’s offices in Worcester, Springfield, Northampton, Pittsfield, and Fitchburg.

Attorney Jean-Pierre received a bachelor’s degree from Brandeis University where, in addition to completing his studies, he mentored at-risk youth and was a track and field athlete for four years. After college he obtained his J.D. from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in New York City. While in law school, he served as a summer intern at Community Legal Aid’s predecessor organization, Legal Assistance Corporation of Central Massachusetts in Worcester. After completing law school, Attorney Jean-Pierre started his law career as a Bart Gordon Fellow with Massachusetts Correctional Legal Services. When the fellowship ended, he became a full-time staff attorney with the Worcester office of Community Legal Aid where he litigated various domestic relations and restraining order matters. After nine years with Community Legal Aid, he joined the Law Office of Murphy and Rudolf LLP where he continued to practice in the Probate and Family Court and also represented parents and children in Care and Protection matters in the Juvenile Court. In 2016, he joined the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau as a clinical instructor, where he supervised law students and taught courses in advanced clinical procedure.

During his career, Attorney Jean-Pierre has served as Co-Chair of the Family Law Section for the Worcester County Bar Association and worked with various community partners in Worcester to address the effect that domestic violence has on families. In 2012, he was honored with the YWCA Great Guy Award & Official State Citation.

“Lyonel is an accomplished advocate as well as a caring, compassionate, and thoughtful person who will provide wonderful support to staff,” said Community Legal Aid Executive Director Jonathan L. Mannina. “We are delighted that he is taking on this role of Managing Attorney and are excited about the work he will do to assist Worcester County’s most vulnerable individuals with their urgent civil legal needs.”

About Community Legal Aid:
Community Legal Aid provides free civil legal services to the low-income and elderly residents of the five counties of Western and Central Massachusetts (Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, and Worcester), and maintains offices in Worcester, Fitchburg, Springfield, Northampton, and Pittsfield. CLA works to assure fairness for all in the justice system, protecting homes, livelihoods, health and families. For more information, please visit www.communitylegal.org.