e-Journal

Keynote speaker Supreme Court Associate Justice Stephen G. Breyer talks about the importance of the U.S. Constitution.

Retiring U.S. District Court Judge Nancy Gertner accepts the MBA’s Hennessey Award from MBA President-elect Richard P. Campbell.

MBA Past President Leo V. Boyle (left) presents the MBA’s Gold Medal award to Foley Hoag’s Michael B. Keating (right).

The MBA honored the late Richard G. Mintz of Mintz Levin with a posthumous centennial award. R. Robert Popeo (left), chairman of Mintz Levin, accepts the centennial award on behalf of Mintz from MBA Vice President Douglas K. Sheff.

Photos by Christine Peterson.

Justice Breyer wishes MBA “happy birthday” at May 19 Centennial Ball

Judge Gertner, Keating and Mintz receive awards as part of centennial celebration

In his keynote speech at the Massachusetts Bar Association's Centennial Ball, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen G. Breyer celebrated the crucial role that lawyers plays in shaping laws, fighting for the judiciary and educating and mentoring students.

MBA President Denise Squillante welcomed an audience of nearly 1,000 people in the Sheraton Boston ballroom for the Centennial Ball. Breyer's keynote address on May 19 was the highlight of the two-day Centennial Conference.

"It isn't surprising to me that the Massachusetts Bar Association holds the position of respect that it does," he said. Looking back to the start of the MBA, Breyer noted, "This organization was founded by Holmes and Brandeis. And it was racially integrated from the start."

He rattled off a number of the association's historical responsibilities - including public service, defending the judiciary and nurturing students' civic knowledge - noting that a century later, it's "the same job, but tougher now."

Breyer said he was impressed by the turnout, saying that seeing so many lawyers turn out reflects well on the profession and the important work lawyers are called upon to do, particularly in terms of public service.

He ended on a rousing note in honor of the event's milestone: "The only five words I really want to say are 'happy birthday, Massachusetts Bar Association!'"

On the occasion of its 100th anniversary celebration, the MBA also honored a number of legal professionals for their contributions at this year's Centennial Ball. Awardees included:

• MBA Chief Justice Edward F. Hennessey Award
  U.S. District Court Judge Nancy Gertner
• MBA Gold Medal Award
  Attorney Michael B. Keating, Foley Hoag
• Posthumous MBA Centennial Award
  The late Attorney Richard G. Mintz, Mintz Levin

Click here to view photos from the May 19 Centennial Ball and Reception.

Look in the June issue of Lawyers Journal for full coverage of the commemorative events.

Top: Access to Justice Luncheon Keynote Speaker Lt. Gov. Timothy P. Murray accepts an MBA Centennial Awards from MBA President Denise Squillante.

From left to right:
Access to Justice Section Council member Michael D. Badger presents a Legal Services Award to Linda L. Landry.

Access to Justice Section Council member Miriam H. Babin presents a Legal Services Award to Daniel S. Manning.

Access to Justice Section Council member Marilyn Ray Smith presents the Pro Bono Award for Law Firms to Howard Friedman.

Access to Justice Section Council member Jacquelynne J. Bowman presents the MBA Pro Bono Publico Award to Eleanor J. Newhoff.

2010 MBA Defender Award recipient Beth L. Eisenberg honors this year's recipient Radha Natarajan.

MBA Criminal Justice Section Chair Michael L. Fabbri presents the Prosecutor Award to Katharine B. Folger.

Photos by Jeff Thiebauth.

MBA honors leaders in public service, legal aid, at Access to Justice Awards Luncheon

Lt. Gov. Timothy P. Murray delivers keynote, presents MBA with governor’s citation in recognition of the MBA’s 100th anniversary

The Massachusetts Bar Association honored five attorneys and one law firm at the Access to Justice Awards Luncheon on May 18 at the Boston Sheraton Hotel for their efforts in providing exemplary legal services to the public. The luncheon was held on the first day of the Centennial Conference.

"It is the dedication of today's honorees to the public, the profession and the rule of law that exemplifies the MBA's founding principles and rich tradition of service," MBA President Denise Squillante said.

Lt. Gov. Timothy P. Murray delivered the keynote address and was honored with an MBA Centennial Award, which has been and will continue to be bestowed across the state throughout the MBA's 100th anniversary commemoration.

"Access to justice must be universal," said Murray, who spoke out in favor of keeping the state's current judicial vetting system. "Our judicial system touches everyone in our commonwealth."

Murray congratulated the MBA on its anniversary and presented Squillante with a citation from Gov. Deval Patrick recognizing the association's 100 years of service.

MBA 2011 Access to Justice Award honorees included:

• Legal Services Award
  Linda L. Landry, Esq., Disability Law Center, Boston
  Daniel S. Manning, Esq., Greater Boston Legal Services, Boston
• Pro Bono Award for Law Firms
  Law Offices of Howard Friedman, Boston
• Pro Bono Publico Award
  Eleanor J. Newhoff, Esq., Attorney at Law, Cambridge
• Defender Award
  Radha Natarajan, Esq., Committee for Public Counsel Services, Somerville
• Prosecutor Award
  Katharine B. Folger, Esq., Middlesex District Attorney's Office, Woburn

Click here to view photos from the May 18 Access to Justice Awards Luncheon.

Look in the June issue of Lawyers Journal for full coverage of the commemorative events.

Top photo:
Top row from left to right: MBA Treasurer Robert L. Holloway Jr.; Housing Court Chief Justice Steven D. Pierce; Juvenile Court Chief Justice Michael F. Edgerton; Land Court Chief Justice Karyn F. Scheier; Superior Court Chief Justice Barbara J. Rouse; panel moderator Supreme Judicial Court Associate Justice Ralph D. Gants; MBA President Denise Squillante; MBA Vice President and Centennial Conference Co-Chair Douglas K. Sheff.

Bottom row from left to right: District Court Chief Justice Lynda M. Connolly; Probate and Family Court Chief Justice Paula M. Carey; Boston Municipal Court Chief Justice Charles R. Johnson; Chief Justice for Administration and Management Robert A. Mulligan; Appeals Court Chief Justice Phillip Rapoza.

Bottom photo:
MBA Public Service Award honoree Supreme Judicial Court Clerk for Suffolk County Maura S. Doyle (center) credited her staff as being the “most knowledgeable and talented” in the court system and thanked them publicly for making “this night possible for me” at the “Hail to the Chiefs” Bench-Bar panel.

Photos by Merrill Shea.

State’s chief justices give overview of budget constraints at May 18 "Hail to the Chiefs" Bench-Bar panel and reception

MBA presents SJC Suffolk County Clerk Maura S. Doyle with the MBA Public Service Award

The message from nine of the state's chief justices was clear and consistent: budget cuts have forced them to do more with less, and technology has helped keep on top of the mounting workload.

That overview came during the "Hail to the Chiefs" bench-bar panel moderated by Supreme Judicial Court Associate Justice Ralph D. Gants. The panel wrapped up day one of the Massachusetts Bar Association's Centennial Conference on May 18 at the Boston Sheraton Hotel.

"Where we go from here remains a good question," Chief Justice for Administration and Management Robert A. Mulligan said after giving an overview of the courts' $85 million in budget reductions since fiscal 2009. Just one day earlier, the Senate Ways & Means Committee released its fiscal 2012 budget, which funds the Trial Court at $519.8 million, a $24.3 million cut. He suggested civil cases will be affected.

"We're at the point where we are going to have to take measures," Mulligan said. "We will not be able to deliver justice at every courthouse from 8 to 4 five days a week."

These tough economic times have made a tremendous impact on the Land Court, which is dealing with a large number of foreclosures, Land Court Chief Justice Karyn F. Scheier said. At the peak, the court was receiving 130 cases a day. That number has now dropped to 70 cases a day, but is expected to rise once the mortgage industry completes its reform of the foreclosure process. "We're triaging every day," said Scheier, who added that she does not believe judicial foreclosure is the answer.

Panelists included:

• Chief Justice Paula M. Carey, Probate and Family Court;
• Chief Justice Lynda M. Connolly, District Court;
• Chief Justice Michael F. Edgerton, Juvenile Court;
• Chief Justice Charles R. Johnson, Boston Municipal Court;
• Chief Justice for Administration and Management Robert A. Mulligan;
• Chief Justice Steven D. Pierce, Housing Court;
• Chief Justice Phillip Rapoza, Appeals Courts;
• Chief Justice Barbara J. Rouse, Superior Court; and
• Chief Justice Karyn F. Scheier, Land Court.

"Hail to the Chiefs" closed with a reception, where SJC Suffolk County Clerk Maura S. Doyle received the MBA Public Service Award. Doyle is the first woman to hold the position of SJC Clerk for Suffolk County since the position's inception in 1692, and the first woman to hold a Suffolk County-wide elected office.

Click here to view photos from the May 18 "Hail to the Chiefs" Bench-Bar Panel and Reception.

Look in the June issue of Lawyers Journal for full coverage of the commemorative events.

MBA Centennial Conference Co-Chairs Marsha V. Kazarosian and Douglas K. Sheff.

MBA Centennial Conference attendees participate in educational tracks on Young Lawyers, Litigation and Substantive legal topics

The MBA's Centennial Conference kicked-off on Wednesday, May 18 with a half-day of continuing legal education programming and continued with a full-day of programming on Thursday, May 19. The conference featured three concurrent CLE tracks, including:

Litigation Track

• Hot Issues in Discovery; Crafting a Winning Theme -- From Soup to Nuts; Effective Use of Evidence During Your Case; Direct-and Cross-Examination of Expert Witnesses; Convincing the Judges: Practical Advice for Litigators; Voir Dire

Substantive Law Track

• Family Law Update; Trends in Employment Law; Uniform Probate Code Update; Criminal Law -- A View from the Courts; Secret Weapons for the Personal Injury Attorney; Tax Implications in Real Estate Transactions

Young Lawyers Track

• Running Your Law Practice on a Shoestring Budget; Limited Assistance Representation Open Forum; Social Media for Lawyers; Technology From Your Office to the Courtroom; Networking Strategies for the Successful Attorney; 60 Sites to Bring Your Firm Into the Future

Click here to view photos from May 18-19 Centennial Conference CLE programming.

Look in the June issue of Lawyers Journal for full coverage of the commemorative events.

Photograph by Tricia Oliver

MBA President Denise Squillante "passes the gavel" to President-elect Richard P. Campbell in a ceremonial presentation at the May 18 HOD meeting.

Final 2010-11 MBA House of Delegates meeting features discussion on cameras in the courtroom and traditional passing of the gavel

The Massachusetts Bar Association House of Delegates convened for the final time this association year on May 18 at the Sheraton Boston as part of this year's Centennial Conference. Among the topics covered were cameras in the courtroom and the social host law. The ceremonial presentation of the gavel from outgoing MBA President Denise Squillante to President-elect Richard P. Campbell also took place.

Present to lead the discussion on cameras in the court were WBUR Executive Editor of New Media John Davidow and Supreme Judicial Court Associate Justice Robert J. Cordy, co-chair of the SJC Judiciary-Media Committee. They shared with the group the nature of and logistics related to the pilot project involving live streaming video in Quincy District Court, made possible through WBUR-FM with funding from the Knight Foundation. They also spoke to the broader concept of cameras in the courtroom.

Prior to the close of the May 18 meeting, Squillante passed the ceremonial gavel to Campbell. Following the traditional exercise, Campbell offered remarks that highlighted Squillante's many contributions to the MBA, not only during the present association year, but in her years of service leading up to the MBA's centennial year.

"What a president she has been," said Campbell.

Look in the June issue of Lawyers Journal for full coverage of the final House of Delegates meeting for the 2010-11 association year.

The MBA thanks its Centennial Sponsors and the Centennial Commission for their commitment to the continued success of the association