Community Legal Aid

Community Legal Aid's 70th Anniversary Celebration
2021-10-07 17:00 - 18:00 (America/New_York) | Virtual
This special celebration will commemorate Community Legal Aid’s 70th Anniversary of providing free legal assistance to low-income and elderly residents of Central and Western Massachusetts.
Our virtual event will celebrate the current and past achievements of the organization, and honor the staff, board members, volunteers, legal community and others who supported Community Legal Aid or one of its predecessor organizations. This will be a memorable evening that you will not want to miss!
Register today for CLA’s virtual event celebrating 70 Years of Fighting for Justice.
Event and speaker details will be added as the celebration approaches. Interested in being a corporate sponsor of CLA’s 70th Anniversary Celebration? Learn more.

Senior Partners for Justice Luncheon with Judge Amy Blake
2021-09-28 13:00 - 14:30 | Video conference (A link will emailed to participants upon registration), MA, United States
Stay Safe and Connect Over Lunch!
We are pleased to announce that Appeals Court Justice Amy Lyn Blake, will be joining us virtually for the luncheon. She will speak on a very important topic: Trends in Family Law.
Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/senior-partners-for-justice-luncheon-with-judge-amy-blake-tickets-171213252447
A short biography of Justice Blake
Justice Amy Lyn Blake graduated from the University of Rochester, New York, in 1987. She attended New England Law School and graduated, cum laude, in 1992. While in law school she was named a New England Scholar and awarded the Amos L. Taylor Award for Excellence In Achievement.
Admitted to the bar in 1992, she served as an Assistant District Attorney until 1994, prosecuting cases in the District Court bench and six person jury sessions while supervising the District Attorney’s Office in two district courts. From 1994 to 2008 she focused her private practice on domestic relations law with the firms of White, Inker & Aronson, Yasi & Yasi and Casner & Edwards, rising from associate to partner. She represented parties in all aspects of domestic relations proceedings. As part of her practice, she filled the roles of Guardian ad Litem, discovery master, attorney for the child and conciliator. She also served on the compensation and long term planning committees. She currently serves on the Board of Editors of the Boston Bar Journal, and as an associate editor of the Massachusetts Law Review.
In 2008 Governor Deval Patrick appointed her to the Family & Probate Court, where she was named “Distinguished Jurist” in 2013 by the Massachusetts Association of Women Lawyers. In 2017, she received the Jurist of the Year Award by the Middlesex County Bar Association. Justice Blake is also a lecturer in Law at New England Law Boston.
Appointed to the Appeals Court by Governor Patrick, Justice Blake joined the Court on September 9, 2014.

Community Legal Aid Board Meeting
2021-09-13 17:15 - 18:30, 2021-07-26 17:15 - 18:30, 2021-05-24 17:15 - 18:30, 2021-03-15 17:15 - 18:30 | MA, United States
If interested in attending, please contact: klee@cla-ma.org or 508-425-2809

Senior Partners for Justice Luncheon with Attorney Annika Bockiues-Suwyn
2021-07-27 13:00 - 14:30 | Video conference (A link will emailed to participants upon registration), MA, United States
About this event:

Stay Safe and Connect Over Lunch!
We are pleased to announce that Attorney Annika Bockiues-Suwyn will be joining us virtually for the luncheon. She will speak on a very important topic: LGBTQ 101 – Creating a Welcoming Environment for LGBTQ Clients and Colleagues.
To view Attorney Bockiues-Suwyn’s biography and learn more about her work, visit https://dangerlaw.com/annika-bockius-suwyn/ .

Pro Bono Opportunities:
Answer and Discovery (“A&D”) Clinic: This clinic allows volunteer attorneys to help clients referred to VLP by the Eastern Regional Legal Intake Helpline. Clients have been served with a Notice to Quit and need help preparing an answer and request for discovery. CLICK TO SIGN UP FOR A&D CLINIC. For more information and to receive the required trainings for our A&D clinic email our Pro Bono Manager Emelia Andres eandres@vlpnet.org.
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Please note: This is a private event, please do not share the Zoom Invite information with others directly. If you know someone who would like to join, please have them email mvidal@vlpnet.org to be registered. This is to ensure cyber-security.
Please send any questions to mvidal@vlpnet.org.
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Senior Partners luncheons are a good place to learn something new, meet other members of the Pro Bono community, and get involved in interesting volunteer legal opportunities. We look forward to working with you to fulfill the promise of access to justice for all. We hope you can join us!

Senior Partners for Justice Luncheon with Judge Richard Simons
2021-06-22 13:00 - 14:30 | Video conference (A link will emailed to participants upon registration), MA, United States
Stay Safe and Connect Over Lunch!
We are pleased to announce that Judge Richard Simons will be joining us virtually for the luncheon. He will speak on a very important topic: Enhancing Families Through Literature: An Innovative Way To Decrease Conflict.
Judge Simons currently serves as the First Justice of the Berkshire Division of the Probate and Family Court. He was appointed to the Court by Governor Deval L. Patrick in March 2008. He serves as Chair of the Court’s Education Committee and is a Trustee of the Flaschner Judicial Institute. He serves on the Advisory Committee for the J2J Mentor Program for the Trial Court. In 2014, he and his Chief Probation Officer conceived of and implemented a program, “Enhancing Families Through Literature” based on a successful alternate sentencing program, “Changing Lives Through Literature.” The program works with families caught up in litigation before the Probate and Family Court to develop parents’ communication skills in a non-adversarial environment while at the same time, promoting the value of reading to children. In 2017, Enhancing Families Through Literature was recognized with the Irwin Cantor Innovative Award given by the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts for innovative court-connected programs.
Senior Partners luncheons are a good place to learn something new, meet other members of the Pro Bono community, and get involved in interesting volunteer legal opportunities. We look forward to working with you to fulfill the promise of access to justice for all. We hope you can join us!
– Eddie Ginsburg, Barbara Siegel, & Emelia Andres
Please note: This is a private event, please do not share the Zoom Invite information with others directly. If you know someone who would like to join, please have them email mvidal@vlpnet.org to be registered. This is to ensure cyber-security.
Please send any questions to mvidal@vlpnet.org.

Worcester Probate and Family Court Remote Lawyer for the Week Project
2021-04-26 08:00 - 17:00 | MA, United States
The Worcester Probate and Family Court Remote Lawyer for the Week Project Needs Volunteers!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0444ACAB2CA0F58-worcester45
Community Legal Aid and the Worcester County Bar Association (WCBA) have launched a Probate and Family Court Remote Lawyer for the Week Project in partnership with the Worcester Court Services Center. The project will connect eligible litigants remotely with volunteer attorneys to provide limited assistance in the form of counsel and advice and/or drafting assistance in family law matters.
Designed with convenience in mind, volunteers will sign up on a weekly basis to accept referrals for a one-time counsel and advice session for pro se litigants navigating the divorce process. Volunteers can schedule a time to meet with the litigants remotely (via phone or Zoom) at a mutually agreed upon time. The program will provide increased access to legal services for low income litigants in a remote environment.
Questions and additional information should be sent to Pro Bono Coordinator Brittany Raposa at braposa@cla-ma.org

Community Legal Aid Board Meeting--Annual Meeting
2021-01-25 17:15 - 18:30 | MA, United States

Community Legal Aid Board Meeting
2020-11-09 17:15 - 18:30, 2020-09-14 17:15 - 18:45 | Community Legal Aid offices (all), MA, United States
If you are interested in attending this meeting, please contact Kebby Lee, Executive Assistant, at klee@cla-ma.org or 508-425-2809.

A Panel Discussion on Racial Justice and Health Inequities during National Pro Bono Week
2020-10-28 12:00 - 13:30 | Video conference (A link will emailed to participants upon registration), MA, United States
During this year’s National Pro Bono Week (October 25-31), we would like to celebrate and honor pro bono attorneys and supporters for upholding the access to justice mission. Community Legal Aid’s Pro Bono Programs recognizes the commitment, dedication, and expertise of its volunteer pro bono attorneys to address and meet the needs of low-income communities. This year’s celebration will feature a panel discussion on racial justice and health inequities. We hope to see you there! Register Now
We are honored to announce that ABA President, Patricia Lee Refo, will be joining our 2020 National Pro Bono Celebration.
Hear from:
Attorney Katherine Bolland Eshghi
Senior Vice President & General Counsel, UMass Memorial Health Care
Dr. Erik Garcia
Medical Director, Homeless Outreach and Advocacy Project, UMass Memorial Medical Center
Attorney AiVi Nguyen
Partner, Bowditch & Dewey, LLP
Jessica Collins, MS
Executive Director, Public Health Institute of Western MA

Family Law Training: Basics and Beyond
2020-10-26 09:30 - 12:30 | Video-conference (A link will emailed to participants upon registration, MA, United States
The Covid-19 pandemic has caused significant instability to our most vulnerable community members. In addition to unemployment, loss of income, inadequate childcare, and housing and food insecurities, many people are also navigating the breakdown of their marriages and families. Incidents of domestic violence are on the rise, and there is a critical need for legal advocacy for these individuals.
To help meet this need, Community Legal Aid and Northeast Legal Aid are offering a FREE Family Law Basics and Beyond training. Whether you are new to family law or looking to sharpen your skills, this training will help deepen your practice and enhance your ability to provide quality legal representation to our most vulnerable community members.
WHEN: October 26, 2020 (9:30 AM-12:30PM), October 27, 2020 (9:30AM-12:15PM), October 28, 2020 (9:30AM-11:45PM; 3:00PM-4:30PM), and October 29, 2020 (9:30AM-12:00PM)
WHERE: Zoom (a link will be emailed to registered participants)
PANELISTS: Tina Paradiso, Senior Supervising Attorney Family Law, CLA; Laura Gal, Senior Supervising Attorney Family Law, NLA; Margery Kennard, Staff Attorney, CLA; Lauren De Oliveira, Staff Attorney, CLA; and Amalia Jorns, Staff Attorney, NLA
COST OF TRAINING: Your commitment to accept at least two (2) Pro Bono Family Law cases for low-income clients.
RSVP to Choyce McIntosh: claproponoprograms@gmail.com

Community Legal Aid Board Meeting
2020-07-13 17:15 - 18:45 | Publick House, 277 Main Street, Sturbridge, MA, 01566, United States

Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Basics Training sponsored by CLA and MWLS
2020-06-23 15:30 - 17:00, 2020-06-22 15:30 - 17:00 | Video conference (A link will emailed to participants upon registration), MA, United States
During these unprecedented times, your skills as an attorney are needed more than ever. Although Covid-19 has wreaked havoc on everyone’s lives, those who live below the poverty level have been hit the hardest, particularly for those who have suffered a loss of income and increased debt. It is anticipated by experts that the number of bankruptcy filings will substantially increase in the wake of the pandemic, so your volunteerism is especially crucial now.
To help meet this need, MetroWest Legal Services (MWLS) and Community Legal Aid (CLA) have teamed together to offer a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Basics Training for volunteer attorneys. This two-part training will provide you with the building blocks of Chapter 7 Bankruptcy laws and procedures, and allow you to deepen your skills for your private practice and pro bono cases. Please join us and become part of the response effort to help lessen the financial impact of the pandemic on our most vulnerable community members.
COST OF TRAINING: Your COMMITMENT to accept at least two (2) Pro Bono Chapter 7 cases for low income clients of CLA or MWLS in the coming year.

Community Legal Aid Board Meeting
2020-05-18 17:15 - 18:45 | Community Legal Aid offices (all), MA, United States
Agenda and call in information for those who cannot come to one of our offices will be posted in advance of this meeting.

Senior Partners Conciliation Project
2020-04-17 10:00 - 16:00 | Hampden Family & Probate Court, 50 State Street, Springfield, MA, 01103, United States
Location: Hampden Probate and Family Court
A lawyer for the day project in the Hampden Probate and Family Court in which lawyers serve as volunteer conciliators in family law cases referred by a justice of the court.
For more information contact: Carmen Gonzalez, cgonzalez@cla-ma.org.

Community Legal Aid Board Meeting--Annual Meeting
2020-01-27 17:15 - 18:45 | Community Legal Aid offices (all), MA, United States
CLA January 2020 Board Meeting – Annual Meeting

January 27, 2020

CLA’s Board will meet January 27th in Worcester for its Annual Meeting.
I. Call to Order
II. President’s Welcome
III. Consideration of the Minutes from the November 18, 2019 Board Meeting
IV. Auditor’s Report and Board Consideration of Audit
V. Executive Director’s Report
VI. Treasurer’s Report
VII. Development Director’s Report
VIII. Other Business
IX. Executive Session
X. Adjournment

Free Housing Court Lawyer for the Day Training & Orientation
2019-11-04 13:00 - 16:00 | UMass Campus at Tower Square, 1500 Main Street, Springfield, MA, 01115, United States
Community Legal Aid and The Hampden County Bar association Legal Clinic will lead a training to prepare volunteers to assist both landlords and tenants in a “lawyer for the day” capacity.
To register call 413-733-6500 or E-mail legalclinic@HCBAR.org
