Boston Municipal Court Chief Justice Charles R. Johnson
delivered the keynote address at the opening ceremony of the second
year of the MBA's Tiered Community Mentoring Program on Oct.
28.
Held at Suffolk University Law School, the event also featured
remarks from Susan Prosnitz, executive director of Suffolk's
Rappaport Center for Law and Public Service.
"I wish I were one of you," said Johnson, who urged the
participants to work toward living a balanced life while striving
for professional greatness. "If you want to become part of
something important, you can choose no better profession than that
of a lawyer."
The mentoring program matches up 10 practicing lawyers with 28 law
school, college and high school students from Suffolk University
Law School, Boston University Law School, Roxbury Community
College, UMASS Boston and New Mission High School. Among the
attorney mentors are MBA Past President Valerie A. Yarashus.
MBA President Denise Squillante shared with students how important
mentors had been for her, enabling her to achieve successes she
never could have predicted as child growing up in Fall River. "You
should dream big," she said. "You end up where you aim."
Each team of mentors will participate in several events throughout
the year, including observing a Supreme Judicial Court hearing in
December, and attending a networking and mentoring event at Roxbury
Community College in February.
The innovative mentoring series was the idea of Norfolk and Family
Court Associate Justice Angela M. Ordoñez, who also delivered
remarks.