eJournal

• “FBI raid was a rare, aggressive move, but also a carefully vetted one, specialists say,” Boston Globe (April 10). MBA Chief Legal Counsel and Chief Operating Officer Martin W. Healy was quoted along with other members of the legal community in a story about the FBI’s Monday office raid of Michael Cohen, personal attorney to President Donald Trump. The story also noted the MBA’s lead role in drafting an amicus brief opposing the attempted disqualification of attorney Howard Cooper, whom prosecutors hope to call as a witness in the corruption trial of former State Sen. Brian A. Joyce.
  
• “Defense bar welcomes criminal justice reform bill,” Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (April 9). MBA member Anthony J. Benedetti, chief counsel for the Committee for Public Counsel Services, offered his overall endorsement of the comprehensive criminal justice reform package approved last week by the Legislature. Sen. Will Brownsberger and Rep. Claire D. Cronin, who will receive Legislator of the Year Awards at the MBA’s April 24 Annual Dinner, led a conference committee whose final report reconciled previous House and Senate bills.
• “Homeowner can’t escape HOA fees for road upkeep,” Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (April 9). MBA member and real estate attorney Patrick J. Gallagher commented on a case recently resolved in Appellate Court, which ruled that a subdivision resident was required to continue paying road maintenance assessments after all covenants in the developer’s declaration expired. 
  
• “After ‘Boston Calling,’ more aggressive dismissals urged,” Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (April 9). MBA member and criminal defense attorney Ingrid S. Martin was quoted in a story highlighting calls for stronger consideration of motions to dismiss in federal court. The appeals stem from a judge’s recent decision to dismiss charges against two city officials who were accused of extorting the Boston Calling festival organizer.
• “H&R Block-ed,” Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (April 9). MBA member Jonathan M. Albano was quoted in this week’s Hearsay column regarding a dismissed federal suit against Howard Stern and his production company, which inadvertently broadcast a local woman’s phone number on the air. Responding to the judge’s ruling that it was unclear whether the action had been intentional, Albano said Massachusetts appellate courts have yet to address whether privacy can be negligently invaded in the same way a private person can be negligently libeled. 
• “A primer on the criminal justice reform bill,” Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (April 9). MBA Executive Management Board members Peter T. Elikann and Melissa A. Juarez co-wrote a detailed breakdown of the criminal justice reform bill that was passed last week by the House and Senate.
• “’The rules that are not rules mark milestone,’” Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (April 9). MBA member Robert J. Brink wrote an opinion piece regarding the impending release of the Supreme Judicial Court’s 10th annual “Massachusetts Guide to Evidence,” a resource distributed to every judge in the state.
  
  

Follow us:

• Twitter: @MassBar
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/massbarassociation
• Facebook MBA's Lawyer Referral Service: www.facebook.com/masslawhelp
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/massbar/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/massachusetts-bar-association
• SoundCloud (MassBar Beat podcast): https://soundcloud.com/user-78622747