The Latest on the Law: Updates from the Boston Bar

Join colleagues with expertise in health, non-profit and corporate law for a discussion about these intersecting areas of law in health care transactions. Bring your questions about the distinctions between charitable and non-charitable activities, use of transaction proceeds, entity conversion, board governance and more to explore in an open conversation with our speakers Emily Gabrault (Deputy C...

The BBA, in collaboration with  Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers (LCL)  is offering a three-part series directed at helping leaders improve their skills in three key areas-building connections, building capacity for difficult conversations, and building capacity for innovation. We strongly encourage BBA leaders and all BBA members that are leaders within their firm or organization to watch the introd...

Watch a lively discussion of recent decisions from the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court and the United States Supreme Court affecting Labor & Employment law. Topics include important updates in discrimination and accommodation laws, procedural standards, affirmative action, Prevailing Wage Act claims, collective bargaining, and claims under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”). The panel...

Taxes for Tax-Exempt Organizations is the fifth in our six-part Fundamentals Series on public charities and private foundations.  The series will provide a basic overview geared toward new attorneys and attorneys new to the practice area on forming, operating and dissolving a tax-exempt organization in Massachusetts.  The Taxes for Tax-Exempt Organizations program will cover unrelated business inc...

Join us for an overview of title insurance and its place within commercial real estate transactions. Learn the basics of title insurance policies and their differences from other types of insurance products. The program will focus on the practicalities of ordering and reviewing title for commercial real estate, selecting endorsements, negotiating commercial owners’ and loan policies, the title com...

Join our panel of financial and elder care experts to discuss financial planning considerations for your aging clients. Topics include optimizing Social Security, using retirement plans effectively, and how to plan for future care costs such as assisted living and long-term care.    Questions? Inquiries about program materials? Contact Trenon Browne at tbrowne@bostonbar.org

Discussion of the Alimony Reform Act and the Child Support Guidelines, including a discussion of tax consequences of each and the methodologies for calculating support which have both a child support and alimony component. Discussion will include timing, emancipation and dependency exemptions.   Questions? Inquiries about program materials? Contact Trenon Browne at tbrowne@bostonbar.org

Learn about how the DOR agency operates and the various programs it offers to better enable practitioners to make use of those programs and navigate those processes to better serve their clients, whether child support recipients or payors. Also learn about recent changes to how DOR conducts hearings.   Questions? Inquiries about program materials? Contact Trenon Browne at tbrowne@bostonbar.org

You can do this! Hear from the government lawyers who review the new student loan discharge forms on behalf of the Department of Education as well as the lawyers that prepare the forms on behalf of debtors. This presentation will discuss the process for discharging student loans in light of new guidance issued by the Department of Justice in coordination with the Department of Education. The prese...

Eric Shupin, the Director of Public Policy for the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities will present an overview of the Affordable Homes Act, a $4.12 billion housing bond bill filed late last year by Governor Maura Healy. This legislation is a comprehensive package of spending, policy, and programmatic actions that would represent the largest housing investment in Massachusetts hist...

Interested in law school but not sure where to start? Attend this program to learn about how you can chart a path to law school! The panelists will discuss what undergraduate students can do to prepare for a career in law school while in college. Topics will include how to choose courses that are helpful for law school and preparing for the LSAT, as well as other key items undergraduate students s...

Private Foundations - Rules of Behavior is the fourth in our six-part Fundamentals Series on public charities and private foundations.  The series will provide a basic overview geared toward new attorneys and attorneys new to the practice area on forming, operating and dissolving a tax-exempt organization in Massachusetts.  The Private Foundations - Rules of Behavior program will describe the esse...

Hear from leading prosecutors in the Boston U.S. Attorney’s Office about recent enforcement trends in the life sciences industry involving the False Claims Act, Anti-Kickback Statute and fraud and abuse regulations, as well as the DOJ’s latest approach to self-disclosure and cooperation in civil and criminal investigations. How would you counsel your client about the self-disclosure process or coo...

This panel will explore how legal and business teams work together to properly vet, negotiate, and finalize sponsorship and licensing deals. We will hear from our esteemed leaders from marketing, sales, and legal departments with perspectives from apparel/footwear and professional sports industries.   Questions? Inquiries about program materials? Contact Trenon Browne at tbrowne@bostonbar.org

Effective September 1, 2023, Massachusetts charities must submit their annual filings to the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) using the online Charity Portal that was launched in 2022. As part of the AGO’s effort to support the charities sector through this transition, the Non-Profit Organizations/Public Charities Division has offered interactive webinars to demonstrate the use of the Charity Porta...

This program will cover recent opinions of the Delaware courts on important aspects of M&A agreements, including remedies for damages based on “lost premiums” available to sellers and the parties capable of brining those claims and equitable limits on specific performance, as well as equitable and process considerations, including the standard of review applicable in controller buyouts as well...

The BBA welcomes all who are preparing for the bar exam to a stress management workshop. Shawn Healy, Clinical Psychologist at Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers, will offer insight and guidance on managing the stresses and expectations that come with preparing for the bar exam.  Bar Exam coaches support students as they prepare to sit for the Bar Exam and confront all the stresses that come along with...

Nonprofit organizations must meet federal and state legal requirements and regulatory best practice expectations in the areas of board structure, governance and fiduciary duty. This program will review laws and rules that govern nonprofit corporation board operations, and the fiduciary duties board members assume when joining a nonprofit board as a director or officer.  This is the third in a seri...

An annual event not to be missed, the Trusts & Estates Mid-Year Review covers recent federal and state case law, legislation and tax law matters. This year's program will include updates from: New Developments Committee: The committee will review recent cases regarding a trustee’s duty to account to remainder beneficiaries, issues involved when a charitable gift under a decedent’s will present...

Comprehensive introduction to the basics of business immigration law; including overview of various employment-based temporary (non-immigrant) visas and employment-based immigrant visas. Panelists will discuss key points of different visa types and eligibility criteria. Attendees will come away with an understanding of the scope of visa types and some specific considerations for each type. This pr...

Serving as the executive director for a legal services organization comes with many challenges and it is not a career path that many choose. Our panel of executive directors and board members hope to change that narrative and encourage you to consider leading a legal services organization.  The panelists will discuss their roles during the selection process, their career paths, and the requisite q...

This program will provide an introduction to charitable planning. We will discuss the reasons for charitable giving, the types of property that can be used to make a charitable gift, and the techniques that can be used to achieve clients’ charitable goals. Questions? Inquiries about program materials? Contact Trenon Browne at tbrowne@bostonbar.org

Chapter 208, Section 34 will be reviewed in detail with a focus on the factors the courts consider when assigning property and liabilities in a divorce.  Discussion will include an overview of the various types of assets and liabilities and the best means of discovering those assets and liabilities. Discussion on discovery will include the different types of discovery available and what discovery...

In the face of our current housing crisis, community land trusts (CLTs) are emerging as a tool to develop and preserve affordable housing and land, and to stabilize neighborhoods. CLTs stand out from other models with their commitment to preserving affordable housing and land in perpetuity, and with a governance structure that ensures residents, neighbors, and other community members hold central...

A primer on discovery for new lawyers or law students who are practicing or anticipate practicing in the District and Municipal Courts. The program will include both the prosecution and defense perspective on Rule 14 and Brady/exculpatory evidence.    Questions? Inquiries about program materials? Contact Trenon Browne at tbrowne@bostonbar.org