The Boston Bar
Association has announced that it will be presenting its John G. Brooks
Legal Services Award to Jay McManus, Director of the Children's Law Center of
Massachusetts (CLCM), at the BBA's Annual Meeting
Luncheon on September 27, 2013 at the Boston Convention Center. The John G.
Brooks Legal Services Award was established by the BBA in 1988 to recognize
legal services lawyers on the front lines working to improve the lives of people
who might otherwise fall through the cracks.
Both modest and dedicated,
Jay McManus has served as the Director of CLCM since 1999, working to represent
abused and neglected children, children with disabilities, children with mental
health needs, unaccompanied immigrant minors, and children caught up in the
state human services system and institutions. Each year, the Center provides
representation to children in between 400 and 500 complex legal cases and at
least 1,500 other children and their families in cases requiring brief
assistance.
Under Jay's leadership, CLCM underwent a major
transformation, starting with the addition of new management and other
personnel. Within a year, CLCM partnered with the Youth Advocacy Project (YAP)
of the Committee for Public Counsel Services to implement EdLaw, an education
advocacy initiative. The EdLaw Project advocates for indigent and low-income
children in danger of not receiving appropriate education services. In addition,
the Center began to supplement its direct services by advocating for policy and
systems reform; this has expanded CLCM's ability to ensure the equitable and
effective treatment of children by the state agencies charged with their care.
Even prior to becoming the Director of CLCM, Jay devoted his time and
energy to helping the less fortunate, with a strong focus on legal support for
children. Going to New England School of Law at night, he spent his days working
with children with mental health challenges at the Franciscan Children's
Hospital. Following his graduation from law school, he worked as staff counsel
to the state's Department of Children & Families and as Assistant General
Counsel to AFSCME Council 93, a public employee labor union. Between 1991 and
2007, he also directed the Massachusetts chapter of the IPPCH-"Because of the
Children Program," a not-for-profit that provided relief to children of Irish
political prisoners and to families affected by the conflict in Northern
Ireland. This volunteer effort required almost as much time as a full-time
job.
Jay's commitment to representing children extends beyond his working
hours. He has donated his time to mentor and assist other attorneys in the most
effective ways to represent children. Additionally, he has championed legal
initiatives like bills supporting forms of alternative education for high-risk
youth, various benefits for low-income children, assistance to parentless
immigrant children, and efforts to ensure that high-risk youth receive an
education. At the BBA, Jay was a member of the Task Force on Expanding the Civil
Right to Counsel, providing valuable insight as the Co-Chair of the Juvenile
Committee from 2008-2011. He also helped to develop the third edition of the
Parents' How-To Guide to Children's Mental Health Services in Massachusetts.