The Massachusetts Bar Association held its monthly Dial-A-Lawyer program on Wednesday, Aug. 5, with 14 attorney volunteers answering 104 calls remotely from Massachusetts residents with legal questions. Sponsored by the MBA’s Young Lawyers Division, the August Dial-A-Lawyer was the fifth Dial-A-Lawyer offered virtually by the MBA since the COVID-19 pandemic caused in-person programs to be put on hold. In addition to the four regular monthly Dial-A-Lawyers, the MBA held a special Domestic Relations Dial-A-Lawyer in June.
The MBA has sponsored a monthly Dial-A-Lawyer program as a public service since March 1991, with volunteer attorneys typically answering callers’ legal questions from a phone bank at the MBA’s Boston office. The implementation of new technology before the May Dial-A-Lawyer, which was offered to first responders, has allowed the MBA to continue offering this public service virtually during the pandemic at a time when many residents have critical legal questions related to their health, homes and employment. Moving to a remote-only platform has also made it easier for attorney volunteers to take part since they no longer have to travel to the MBA’s office and can take calls anonymously right from their own home or office computers.
The MBA will continue to hold the monthly Dial-A-Lawyer program on the first Wednesday of the month throughout the upcoming 2020-21 association year, with the next one scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 2.
The MBA thanks the following members for donating their time and expertise to the Aug. 5 program:
- Jason Armiger, Gesmer Updegrove LLP
- Evan Bell, Law Office of Evan Bell
- Julianna Bruce, J Bruce Law LLC
- Suzanne Englot, CMBG3 Law LLC
- Daniel Gindes, Law Office of Daniel Gindes
- Jamie Kelaher, Law Office of Kimberly L. Kelly
- R. Talmadge Reeves, Soraya Law PC
- Stephen Ryan, Ryan Litigation and Advocacy PLLC
- Soraya Sadeghi, Soraya Law PC
- Samuel Segal, Law Offices of Samuel A. Segal
- Meghan Slack, The Law Office of Meghan Slack
- Michael St. Louis, Law Offices of Michael R. St. Louis
- Sheldon Toplitt, Sheldon C. Toplitt, Esq.
- Paul Zerola, Zerola & Associates PC
Interested in volunteering? Dial-A-Lawyer offers a terrific opportunity for attorneys looking for a pro bono activity that fits well with their busy schedules and can be done from their own home or office. If you are interested in volunteering for an upcoming Dial-A-Lawyer, please
complete this form. Volunteers will be provided with a link, username, password, detailed instructions and updated resources before each monthly program.
For more information about Dial-A-Lawyer email dal@massbar.org.