Experienced Members of Legal and Business Communities to Work on Yearlong Pro Bono Projects
The Massachusetts Access to Justice Commission, in partnership with the state Judiciary and the Lawyers Clearinghouse, announced the selection of twenty Access to Justice Fellows, fifteen of whom are BBA members and former leaders. The Fellows will partner with non-profit, legal services organizations and the courts on pro bono projects throughout the Commonwealth from 2015 to 2016.
The program offers experienced attorneys who have retired or are transitioning into retirement an opportunity to work for a year or longer providing critically needed legal assistance to underserved populations.
“I’m thrilled at the strides the Access to Justice Fellows Program has made over the past three years as it continues to grow in number with twenty fellows experienced in the judiciary, legal and business professions participating this year,” said Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Gants, a former co-chair of the Access to Justice Commission. “This year, retired Supreme Judicial Court Justice John Greaney will be an honorary fellow, in addition to four retired Trial Court judges, who will be working on pro bono projects that will greatly benefit underserved populations across the state.”
The BBA congratulates the members taking on this prestigious and important role in Boston legal community:
- Dick Bauer, of Counsel to the National Consumer Law Center and former Senior Attorney with Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS) for almost 30 years
- Deborah Benson, retired from her law practice of 32 years and former partner at Hinckley Allen
- John Bowman, former Assistant Attorney General and former partner in Bowman & Penski
- Jerry Cohen, partner at Burns & Levinson and member of the firm’s Intellectual Property, Privacy and Data Security, Business Litigation, International, Life Sciences and Corporate Groups
- Hon. John Cratsley, retired Massachusetts Superior Court Associate Justice
- Michael Diener, former partner at Hale and Dorr and then WilmerHale in the Intellectual Property department and in the Intellectual Property Litigation group
- Janet Donovan, former Managing Attorney of the Legal Advocacy Program at Casa Myrna Vasquez, Inc.
- Hon. Raymond Dougan, retired First Justice of the Central Division of the Boston Municipal Court
- Gretchen Graef, of Counsel to Verrill Dana, retired after practicing family law for 15 years
- Hon. John Greaney, retired Supreme Judicial Court justice, will serve as an Honorary Fellow for the Access to Justice Fellows Program.
- Ernest Haddad, has served as general counsel of large non-profit and government organizations, most recently was General Counsel of the Massachusetts General Hospital and Partners HealthCare System (1981-2002)
- William Lahey, partner at Anderson & Kreiger
- Donald Shulman, retired partner at Goulston & Storrs, P.C. and continues with Goulston & Storrs in an of counsel role
- Johanna Soris , retired Assistant Attorney General from the Office of the Attorney General’s Nonprofit Organizations/Public Charities Division ” Al Zabin, former partner and of counsel at Duane Morris LLP
