At a recent meeting with our new President, Lisa Goodheart, we heard firsthand from staff and the First Justices of the Boston Municipal Court. Inadequate funding of our state courts has hit the BMC hard.
All eight of the BMC’s First Justices described to us the drastic impact the budget crisis has had on the BMC and its ability to administer justice. Inadequate staffing levels and the consequences of a hiring freeze have led to more delays in the processing of cases, increased security risks in courthouses, and low morale among hardworking employees who are troubled by the fact that it’s virtually impossible to provide adequate public services in a timely and effective manner.
So what’s a bar association to do? It’s now a given that we advocate for adequate funding for the courts on a year round basis. We also need to find creative ways to help fill the gaps left by a shrinking budget.
The district court clerkship program – a pilot partnership established by the BMC, with the help of BBA Diversity and Inclusion Section’s Co-Chair Macey Russell – does just that.
This pilot venture began with one purpose – to increase diversity in the legal profession and provide opportunities for minority law students. But the program has also helped ease some of the negative effects of an underfunded judiciary, while mitigating the impact of a hiring freeze on court employees at no cost. It was refreshing to hear about the positive experiences the BMC’s First Justices have had with the 3Ls that have been matched with them.
It’s a win-win situation. The judges are thankful for the assistance, and the student interns have had fantastic experiences with invaluable mentoring from the judges. Any assistance with the court’s workload is helpful. The BMC’s First Justices appreciate having resourceful law student interns in their courts.
To date, the program has helped place over 20 students with judges around Boston. If only a handful of clerkships at a single court can make a difference, imagine what the effect of an expanded program would be.
-Kathleen Joyce
Government Relations Director
Boston Bar Association
