The Latest on the Law: Updates from the Boston Bar

Join us to hear from Court Administrator Thomas Ambrosino and Chief Information Officer for the Trial Court Steve Duncan about the impacts of the Court IT Bond Bill. Passed last session with support from the BBA, the Bill provides for $164 million in bond funding to modernize technology in the state courts, develop digital courtrooms, and modernize court operations and security. This virtual progr...

After the training, attendees will walk away with a general understanding of the eviction process in Massachusetts and specifically what defenses and resources are available to tenants to prevent or win an eviction case. Program participants will gain enough knowledge to begin volunteering with VLP’s housing unit.    Questions? Inquiries about program materials? Contact Trenon Browne at tbrowne@bo...

Thinking about getting more involved outside of the [home] office lately? Interested in sharing your knowledge and skills with the greater legal community? Join us for a panel-style webinar to learn more about how you can increase your visibility as a new lawyer by contributing to journals and publications such as Mass Lawyers Weekly and at your firm, planning and speaking at educational events, p...

This training, in partnership with the  Women's Bar Foundation , covers the basics of advocating for clients in 209A Abuse Prevention proceedings and equips attorneys with the tools necessary to represent survivors of abuse in restraining order hearings. We encourage all attorneys interested in making a difference for families impacted by domestic abuse to attend. (10/12/2023)   Attendees will lea...

This live webinar training will provide a basic overview of how to assist and represent low-income, owner-occupant landlords, many of whom have been financially impacted by the pandemic. It will provide information on why this underserved population needs assistance and how to help by volunteering with  Volunteer Lawyer's Project's Landlord Advocacy Program . Law students and attorneys are encoura...

During the 2023-24 bar year, the Rian Immigrant Center will be hosting regular clinics in partnership with the BBA to help immigrant members of our community complete basic, but necessary immigration paperwork, including green card renewals, work permit applications, family-based petitions, and citizenship applications. The clinics will happen on the second Monday of every month at 2 pm. This trai...

Are you a newly admitted lawyer interested in pro bono work and serving your community? With Pro Bono Month starting in October, you may be wondering how you can get involved. Hear from experienced attorneys as they discuss their own career pathways in pro bono work and how you can get started.  (9/26/2023)   Attendees will walk away with:   Insight about pro bono advocacy  Guidance on representin...

We are all reading headlines about discriminatory new laws passing in other states that are targeting our LGBTQ community.  These include anti-trans laws on health care, sports and bathrooms, educational restrictions on sexual orientation and gender identity and many others.  While we in Massachusetts have not seen these enacted locally, lawyers here often represent and work for organizations with...

The recent Supreme Court decision in Students for Fair Admission, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College substantially limited the use of race as a consideration in the admissions process for higher education institutions. The decision will trigger colleges and universities across the U.S. to reassess their admissions processes to ensure compliance with this new Supreme Court guidance. T...

For over 200 years, noncompetes have provided protections for companies’ trade secrets and other legitimate business interests. But the FTC, the NLRB, and some state governments are starting to take them away, and the tide of public opinion is reaching further.  What will your clients and companies do? How will employees be affected? Will it be good? Will it be bad?  Join us for a 1-hour webinar t...

The BBA welcomes all that 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. (7/12/2023)   Questions? Inquiries about program materials? Contact Trenon Browne at tbrowne@bostonbar.org    

The Paths to the Judiciary panel will engage with the Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court Kimberly Budd, Associate Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court Dalila Argaez Wendlandt, and Superior Court Judge Catherine Ham on their journey to the bench, their experiences as judges and women of color jurists, and their insights in thinking about how an attorney (at whatever stage of her career) m...

This program will provide an introductory overview on working with environmental consultants and technical experts. A moderated panel composed of environmental lawyers from the public and private sectors, as well as an environmental consultant, will discuss lessons learned on how to best leverage these types of partnerships from procurement to trial. (6/21/2023)   Questions? Inquiries about progra...

Sports betting arrived in Massachusetts on January 31, 2023. This program will look at some of the key moments leading up to the enactment of the Massachusetts Sports Wagering Act (“MSWA”), how technology and more specifically block chain and cryptocurrency based sports gambling will impact the industry, and finally what types of issues can we expect to see on the regulatory and enforcement side a...

The Divorce Fundamentals Training Series is designed to provide new lawyers or attorneys new to the practice of family law with an overview of the “life of a divorce case.” This training series will cover topics such as the divorce client interview; filing the divorce complaint; child support and alimony; custody and parenting plans; discovery; motion practice; separation agreements and post-judgm...

Join key state and federal environmental regulators as they discuss their agencies’ evolving policies to address PFAS, followed by commentary from the regulated community and advocates pressing for tougher rules.  This panel--the second half of the BBA’s spring series on PFAS—will focus on drinking water and wastewater regulation. (6/13/2023)   Questions? Inquiries about program materials? Contact...

An annual event not to be missed, the Trusts & Estates End of Year Review covers recent federal and state case law, legislation and tax law matters.  This year’s program will touch on: New Developments Committee, Public Policy Committee, Tax Law Updates Committee. (6/13/2023)   Questions? Inquiries about program materials? Contact Alan I. Johnson at ajohnson@bostonbar.org  

“Ray of Light” - The Department of Justice and the Department of Education just adopted a new process for handling cases in which individuals seek to discharge their federal student loans in bankruptcy court.  Learn why the new process was adopted and what DOJ and DOE hope it will accomplish.   Hear from the experts about best practices, potential pitfalls and planning opportunities in connection...

ESG (environmental, social and governance) investing is showing up in headlines everywhere.  Increasingly, clients and trust beneficiaries are asking for ESG factors to be incorporated in routine trust administration.  What fiduciary duties are at play in these situations? We will discuss definitions and evolution of ESG, and the fiduciary standards all estate planners must consider.   Questions?...

This program will review current trends in criminal trade secret, antitrust and no-poach cases.  The panel will discuss parallel civil and criminal actions and what firm lawyers and in-house practitioners should consider in dealing with these matters.       Questions? Inquiries about program materials? Contact Alan I. Johnson at ajohnson@bostonbar.org

Are you looking to improve your essay writing skills in preparation for the bar exam? Join this workshop and receive some best tips and practices before you head into the exam. Don't miss out on a great opportunity to improve your score!   Questions? Inquiries about program materials? Contact Alan I. Johnson at ajohnson@bostonbar.org

Anyone who lives or works in Boston can attest to the dire need for more affordable housing. But putting together the financing for an affordable housing development is a complicated mix of institutions, programs, and funding sources. All of the acronyms used to shorthand these aspects can make working on an affordable housing transaction feel like diving into alphabet soup. We put together a list...

This program will briefly review the historical origins of the compelled production of physical evidence from targets in criminal investigations to set the stage for applying this doctrine to compelled production of passcodes to digital devices and compelled use of biometrics to similarly facilitate access to digital devices.  The program will then explore the primary challenges courts have faced...

Panelists will explain the legal framework for challenging criminal convictions based on immigration consequences, and give attendees a brief introduction to the impacts that criminal convictions can have on non-citizens.   Questions? Inquiries about program materials? Contact Alan I. Johnson at ajohnson@bostonbar.org

Attorney Sarah Hartline, along with Kathy Vitello, LSW and Joan McGrath of PLAN of MA and RI will discuss special needs trusts as a planning tool for people with disabilities. The program will cover considerations for both establishing and administering special needs trusts. This discussion will be beneficial for those caring for loved ones with disabilities, estate planning practitioners and Trus...