Introducing Senior Partners for Justice - West

Western Massachusetts Legal Services and the Massachusetts Justice Project are pleased to announce the launch of a new pro bono initiative with Senior Partners for Justice.  

Founded in 2002 by Hon. Edward M. Ginsburg, a retired justice of the Massachusetts Probate and Family Court, Senior Partners for Justice addresses the needs of unrepresented litigants in the Probate and Family Court.  Senior Partners includes over 400 private practitioners of all ages and levels of experience, from retired attorneys and judges to new bar admittees, who handle family law and other matters pro bono for low-income clients who would otherwise go unrepresented. 

Senior Partners began in greater Boston in partnership with the Volunteer Lawyers Project of the Boston Bar Association. Now, Western Massachusetts Legal Services (WMLS) and the Massachusetts Justice Project (MJP) welcome Senior Partners to the western part of the state.

Projects of Senior Partners for Justice - West

The first project of this new partnership began in February 2008: a Pro Bono Limited Assistance Representation Courtroom Lawyer for the Day project in the Hampden County Probate and Family Court.  We recently started a series of Express Divorce Filing Clinics at the Hamden County Probate and Family Court.  These clinics are designed to serve clients who need simple divorces but are not able to navigate the filing procedures without legal assistance.  Senior Partners will also handle regular pro bono family law and other cases through the MJP Volunteer Lawyers Service (VLS). 

There is no conflict in being a member of Senior Partners and a VLS panel attorney.  Cases taken by Senior Partners will be VLS cases.  As such, professional liability insurance for these cases is provided through the Massachusetts Justice Project.  Membership in Senior Partners offers additional opportunities and benefits to VLS panel attorneys with no additional obligations.  These benefits include:

• enhanced training and mentoring opportunities by experienced practitioners

• luncheons where Senior Partners get together to learn about cutting edge legal issues and share experiences

• free or discounted training vouchers for active panel members

• the intellectual and social stimulus of being part of a collegial and well-regarded network of professionals dedicated to pro bono work and access to justice for all.

To join Senior Partners for Justice or learn more about it, please contact Pat Walsh-Ollari at 413-322-7430 x513 or pwalsh@majp.org or Senior Partners Project Manager Barbara Siegel at 617-423-0648 x123 or bsiegel@vlpnet.org. 

You may also join Senior Partners using our new online registration form or by filling out the attached registration form and sending it to Pat Walsh-Ollari at Massachusetts Justice Project, 57 Suffolk Street, 4th floor, Holyoke, MA 01040, or faxing it to her at 413-535-1774. 

Luncheon

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

1:00 to 2:30 p.m.

Western MA Legal Services

1 Monarch Place, Suite 400, Springfield

Directions

Featuring Judge Dina E. Fein, First Justice of the Housing Court, Western Division. Judge Fein will speak about housing issues in family law cases and the interrelationship between Probate & Family Court and Housing Court. 

RSVP by October 10th to Pat Walsh-Ollari at 413-322-7430 x513 or pwalsh@majp.org.

Save the Date for our November 17th luncheon featuring Attorney Sarah McCollum of the Department of Revenue.

Hampden County

Probate & Family Court

Limited Assistance Representation

Courtroom Lawyer for the Day

Volunteer Attorneys Needed for:

• Thursday October 23, 2008 (DOR day)
• Wednesday November 5, 2008
• Tuesday November 18, 2008
• Wednesday December 10, 2008

Each shift runs from 9 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

To sign up, contact Pat Walsh-Ollari at 413-322-7430 x513 or pwalsh@majp.org.

Find out more about the Courtroom Lawyer for the Day project.

Hampden County

Probate & Family Court

Express Divorce Filing Clinics

• Wednesday November 19, 2008

These clinics will be held from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. at the Hampden County Hall of Justice in the County Commissioners Room on the 2nd floor (outside Courtroom II).  Find out more about the Clinics.

To sign up, contact Pat Walsh-Ollari at 413-322-7430 x513 or pwalsh@majp.org.

Trainings

Family Law 101

Wednesday November 12, 2008

2:00 - 3:30 p.m.

Both trainings will be held at the Hampden County Hall of Justice in the County Commissioners Room on the 2nd floor (outside Courtroom II).

To sign up, contact Pat Walsh-Ollari at 413-322-7430 x513 or pwalsh@majp.org.