Massachusetts Law Reform Institute Joins the BBA as Its Newest Sponsor Member

JANUARY 8, 2020 – BOSTON – The Boston Bar Association (BBA) is proud to welcome Massachusetts Law Reform Institute (MLRI) as its newest sponsor member, joining the BBA’s growing community of more than 13,000 members from nonprofit organizations, government agencies, in-house legal departments, law schools, and law firms.

“MLRI is delighted to establish this partnership with the Boston Bar Association,” said MLRI Executive Director Georgia Katsoulomitis. “The BBA has been a leader in advocating for fairness in the justice system, excellence in the legal profession, and access to justice for all. In addition, the BBA’s longstanding commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the legal community is very important to MLRI and our partner legal aid programs.”

Founded in 1968, MLRI is a nationally recognized poverty law and policy center that uses forceful, creative advocacy, class action litigation, coalition building, and community lawyering in pursuit of its mission: to provide statewide advocacy and leadership in advancing laws, policies, and practices that secure economic, racial, and social justice for low-income people and marginalized communities. Over its 50-year history, MLRI’s work has benefitted countless low-income individuals and vulnerable populations throughout the Commonwealth, including children, seniors, people with disabilities, and veterans.

MLRI attorneys have served on various BBA Steering Committees over the years, including the Delivery of Legal Services Section, the Active-Duty Military & Veterans Forum, and the Immigration Law Section. The BBA regularly partners with MLRI for important advocacy, including for a successful initiative to expand the Housing Court jurisdiction statewide and most recently as part of a coalition to establish a statewide civil right to counsel in eviction cases.

“The BBA’s Task Force on the Civil Right to Counsel, established in 2007, and their subsequent reports have been instrumental for this initiative,” Katsoulomitis said.

In addition to undertaking impact advocacy, MLRI serves as the poverty law support center in Massachusetts, providing specialized legal and policy expertise across a range of poverty law issues. They also serve as a resource for civil legal aid programs that represent individual clients, as well as community organizations and programs that work with low-income and other vulnerable people. As a grant recipient of the Boston Bar Foundation, MLRI shares the BBF’s commitment to civil legal aid and access to justice for all.

To learn more about MLRI, visit mlri.org