Lawyers e-Journal
Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012
Rep. Cabral, Sen. Rodrigues among speakers at Jan. 26 forum on Gateway Cities
MBA to host event at UMass School of Law
Massachusetts Bar Association members are invited to join MBA,
legislative and community leaders at a Jan. 26 forum on Gateway
Cities to be held at UMass School of Law in Dartmouth beginning at
5 p.m.
Light refreshments will be served during the opening
meet-and-greet reception, which will give way to an informational
forum. Leaders who have long worked with the issues impacting the
state's Gateway Cities will share their insight. The final leg of
the evening will focus on pinpointing ways in which the legal
community can help address such issues.
Some of the evening's featured speakers include MBA
President-elect Robert L. Holloway Jr.;
UMass School of Law Dean Michael G. Hillinger;
Rep. Antonio Cabral (D-New Bedford)
and Sen. Benjamin Downing (D-Pittsfield).,
chairs of the Gateway Cities Caucus; representatives from MassINC
and UMass Dartmouth's Urban Institute; as well as other leading
voices on the academic, economic and cultural aspects impacting
Gateway Cities.
"The focus of the forum is to identify ways in which attorneys can
lend their expertise with issues affecting Gateway City communities
across Massachusetts," MBA President Richard P. Campbell said.
Campbell identified a Gateway Cities initiative as one of his
priorities for the 2011-12 association year. He named Margaret D.
Xifaras, who practices in New Bedford, and Francis A. Ford, who
practices in Worcester, to lead this important effort.
Xifaras will moderate the Jan. 26 forum.
Massachusetts' Gateway Cities are those mid-sized cities whose
residents are experiencing significantly higher rates of
unemployment and a stalemate in social, economic and civic
innovation. Some examples are Brockton, Fall River, Lawrence, New
Bedford, Springfield and Worcester.
Members interested in attending
should R.S.V.P. to Gwen Landford at (617) 338-0694 or glandford.