Pro Bono Spotlight: Attorney Ashlyn Dowd
Attorney Ashlyn Dowd is an Associate of Mirick O’Connell in the Labor, Employment and Employee Benefits and Education Law groups. Named a Massachusetts “Rising Star” in 2023 by Boston magazine and Law & Politics, Attorney Dowd has also made a tremendous impact through her pro bono service with Community Legal Aid (CLA).
A volunteer since 2021, Attorney Dowd has zealously advocated for multiple clients referred through CLA’s UMass Memorial Health Medical-Legal Partnership, a collaboration that addresses the health-harming legal needs of medical patients.
In a recent case, Attorney Dowd persistently addressed the shocking bad conditions in the home of an elderly UMass Memorial patient. The elder was a long-time tenant who required significant medical needs from congestive heart failure. In the winter of 2022, she notified her landlord that she did not have heat or hot water, had non-working appliances, and the unit was experiencing a mice infestation. Additionally, the common areas had poor lighting and she struggled to navigate the hallways. Her situation only worsened when her bathroom and kitchen flooded, resulting in her bathtub being the only access to water. Attorney Dowd advocated for months alongside the elder and the Board of Health to make sure the landlord did his part to provide a safe and habitable living environment. At the conclusion of the case, the client stated that she finally felt that she could breathe easy as Attorney Dowd made sure that all of her legal needs were met.
In another case, Attorney Dowd remedied an erroneous $48,000 overpayment amount from the Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) for a UMass Memorial patient. During the height of the pandemic, the patient left her job to take care of her adult daughter who had a heart condition and significant disabilities. The patient later received a notice from DUA stating she owed $48,000, claiming that her eligibility for benefits could not be verified. The patient made many attempts to contact DUA and verify her wages to no avail. Her benefits had completely halted and the family of three was struggling to survive on $800 a month through her daughter’s social security benefits. Attorney Dowd zealously stepped in and worked with the patient to resolve the error made by DUA. After essential records were provided to DUA, the patient’s benefits were reinstated, and the overpayment removed.
We are so grateful to Attorney Dowd for her pro bono service and representing these patients during an incredibly challenging time. These outcomes had a positive effect on the health of the patients and their families.
Thank you, Attorney Dowd!
