News Releases
October 01, 2024

When Davis Malm Attorneys Are Out of the Office, They’re in the Community

Article

Pro bono service and volunteering aren’t only things Davis Malm attorneys do, they’re part of who we are. While we love the challenging work we do for our clients, we also recognize our responsibility to share our time, knowledge and skills to help improve the lives of others and the communities in which we work and live. Our attorneys and staff have a passion for giving back. We volunteer time, enthusiasm and pro bono services to, and hold leadership positions within, organizations that are near and dear to us. Our efforts also provide a meaningful way for our lawyers to develop and strengthen their legal skills.
“It’s important that we make high-impact contributions that affect our clients’ lives and businesses, advance justice, and support the missions of the organizations in which we volunteer,” said Davis Malm President, Amy Fracassini.

Recently, our attorneys had the privilege of volunteering at the Greater Boston Stand Down, hosted by New England Center and Home for Veterans in collaboration with the VA Boston Healthcare System and the U.S. Department of Labor. Davis Malm joined the team from Veterans Legal Services (VLS) in their legal tent to assist veterans with their most pressing legal issues/questions, including family law, housing, consumer debt, CORI-sealing, and benefits (state, federal, veteran-specific).
In June, 17 members from Davis Malm participated, for the 14th consecutive year, in the annual Lawyers Have Heart 5K road race to benefit the American Heart Association. This event, which brought together thousands of legal professionals to run and walk to promote better heart health in Greater Boston and inspire health equity for all, raised over $400,000.

Earlier in the year, several attorneys participated in the annual “Walk to the Hill for Civil Legal Aid,” sponsored by the Equal Justice Coalition. This lobbying event drew hundreds of lawyers and professionals in the legal industry to the State House to ask legislators to support civil legal aid funding.

In addition to collaborative work as a firm, several of our attorneys are involved in various organizations and nonprofits that contribute to causes important to them. For example, these attorneys were recently elected or re-elected to leadership roles:

Michelle Cassorla, an attorney in our employment law group, was elected to the Anti-Defamation League’s New England Regional Board. Michelle has been involved with the organization for several years and will continue to support the ADL’s mission to combat bias and extremism across New England to protect democracy and promote inclusive environments for all.

Allison Ahern Fillo, an attorney in our immigration practice, was elected co-chair of the Boston Bar Association’s Immigration Section. In this role, Allison will help plan engaging and relevant programs for members on topics relating to employer representation and compliance in connection with U.S. business visas and work permits. Allison was also appointed to the Massachusetts Bar Association’s Immigration Law Practice Group Section Council. In this role, Allison will collaborate with colleagues across the legal community to plan and participate in educational programs, monitor and develop legislation, propose legislative positions to the House of Delegates, and participate in the development of legal publications, articles and special projects.

Robert J. Munnelly, Jr., a regulatory and administrative law attorney, was re-elected co-chair of the Federal Communications Bar Association New England Chapter. Rob has been a member of the organization for nearly 25 years and served as Chapter Co-Chair for more than 11 years. In his co-chair role, he helps to create programming and networking opportunities for telecommunications, media, and technology law, and policy professionals across New England. He is currently helping to organize, in cooperation with Boston College Law School, a “Current Issues Conference” for FCBA’s New England Chapter on October 1st. The topics to be discussed will include recent federal actions, their decisions, and the effects these decisions have moving.

Samuel (Sandy) Moskowitz, an attorney in our business and real estate practice areas, was appointed to the Supreme Judicial Court Standing Committee on Pro Bono Legal Services for a three-year term. Sandy and fellow members of the committee will help promote and encourage volunteer legal work in Massachusetts to help people of limited means who need legal representation. Deeply committed to community service and equal justice, Sandy led the effort to create the Housing Court Lawyer for a Day program, for which he was awarded the Denis Maguire Pro Bono Award in 2010 and the Adams Pro Bono Publico Award by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court in 2006.

Davis Malm goes above and beyond the practice of law, because the time we volunteer and the leadership positions we hold are critically important to those whom we help. Our commitment to serving our communities continues to attract people to the firm who are not just good lawyers and talented staff, but who are good people who are passionate about supporting their communities.