Courtroom Lawyer for the Day Project

Senior Partners for Justice has been running a pro bono Courtroom Lawyer for the Day project at Suffolk County Probate and Family Court since April 2007. This project grew out of the Limited Assistance Representation (LAR) Pilot Project developed by the Supreme Judicial Court Steering Committee on Self-Represented Litigants. 

How It Works

We have two tables set up outside courtroom 2 on the 4th floor of the Brooke Courthouse every Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  One table is for Senior Partners and the other is for volunteers from the Boston Bar Association or one of the Harvard Law School clinical programs.  This set up works well where both parties in a case are unrepresented. 

We generally have two or three Senior Partners at our table, plus at least one Volunteer Lawyers Project (VLP) family law staff attorney and a VLP staff person.  We have forms, blank client files, reference materials including the Family Law Sourcebook, pens, paper, and a copier that we keep at the courthouse. 

Clients come to us in a variety of ways.  Some are referred by Judges; some just walk up to the table; others may have seen signs about our services somewhere in the courthouse.  We take any kind of case, in any procedural posture, as long as the clients are eligible for our services.  Attorneys enter a Notice of Limited Appearance along with a Notice of Withdrawal of Limited Appearance at the beginning of the matter they are handling. 

LAR volunteer attorneys provide a range of services to clients, everything from simple advice to representation in a court hearing.  VLP staff attorneys are available for on-the-spot mentoring and advice. 

In order to take Limited Representation cases, it is necessary to have completed a do-it-yourself training consisting of written materials and an audio CD.  We have the training materials and would be glad to provide them to you. 

The pace is fast, the work is really interesting, and it is fun!  This opportunity is well suited to attorneys who have some experience in probate and family law. 

For more information, please contact Senior Partners for Justice Project Manager Barbara Siegel at 617-423-0648 x123 or bsiegel@vlpnet.org.