Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association

MLAC 30th Anniversary Celebration

Abim Thomas — Fri, 10 May 2013 23:32:28 +0000

The Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation (MLAC) invites the members of the MBLA to its 30^th Anniversary Celebration.

Wednesday, May 22, 2013
5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Seaport Boston Hotel
1 Seaport Lane
Boston, MA 02210
Directions

Hors d’oeuvres served

RSVP here.

Featured Speaker
Seth Waxman, Former Solicitor General of the United States of America

Honorees
Stephen Oleskey, Former Equal Justice Coalition Chair
Joseph Kociubes, Former MLAC pro bono general counsel

The post MLAC 30th Anniversary Celebration appeared first on Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association.

Racism & Law- The Shifting of Racial Consciousness

Abim Thomas — Thu, 02 May 2013 01:42:16 +0000

On May 1, 2013, the MBLA and MAHA co-sponsored the YWCA Boston’s Stand Against Racism campaign: Racism & Law- The Shifting of Racial Consciousness within the Legal Community at the Boston Bar Association. The event featured successful and knowledgeable speakers from the judiciary, government agencies, universities and companies who provided an “inside view” of emerging racial issues that are affecting their field. The goal of the program was to alert people to the fact that racism still exists in the legal profession and the community at large, and to educate them on ways that they and their communities can Stand Against Racism. The event featured moderator Rachael Rollins, MBLA Immediate Past-President, and speakers Julian Tynes, Hon. Kimberly Budd, Deborah Ramirez, and Ruth Ellen Fitch.

The post Racism & Law- The Shifting of Racial Consciousness appeared first on Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association.

Stand Against Racism Campaign

Abim Thomas — Wed, 01 May 2013 02:52:19 +0000

On May 1, 2013, the MBLA and MAHA co-sponsored the YWCA Boston's Stand Against Racism campaign: Racism & Law- The Shifting of Racial Consciousness within the Legal Community at the Boston Bar Association. The event featured successful and knowledgeable speakers from the judiciary, government agencies, universities and companies who provided an "inside view" of emerging racial issues that are affecting their field.

The post Stand Against Racism Campaign appeared first on Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association.

Community Discussion on Confronting Subconscious Bias

Abim Thomas — Wed, 01 May 2013 02:50:38 +0000

The US District Court for the District of Massachusetts hosts a Community Discussion on Confronting Subconscious Bias.

Friday, June 21, 2013
3:30 PM
Jury Assembly Hall, Second Floor
John Joseph Moakley Courthouse
1 Courthouse Way
Boston, MA 02210

RSVP to RSVP@MAD.USCOURTS.GOV.

Participants are encouraged to take the “Implicit Assumption” self‐test prior to the seminar at https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/

WELCOME

CHIEF JUDGE PATTI B. SARIS

INTRODUCTION

JUDGE MARK L. WOLF

FEATURING

PROFESSOR CHARLES J. OGLETREE
DIRECTOR, CHARLES HAMILTON HOUSTON INSTITUTE FOR RACE AND JUSTICE, HARVARD LAW SCHOOL

AND

PROFESSOR JOHANNA WALD
DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT, CHARLES HAMILTON HOUSTON INSTITUTE FOR RACE AND JUSTICE, HARVARD LAW SCHOOL

The post Community Discussion on Confronting Subconscious Bias appeared first on Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association.

Diversity and Inclusion Networking Event

Abim Thomas — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 22:47:09 +0000

On April 29, 2013, State Street hosted members of the MBLA and other affinity bar associations at their Diversity and Inclusion Networking event. The event featured speaker Danny Ertel of Vantage Partners who discussed his work with leading law firms and law departments to evolve approaches to negotiate fee arrangements, manage matters, and reduce costs. He also discussed how firms and their clients can work to develop strategies to improve value for money in a collaborative and sustainable way.

The post Diversity and Inclusion Networking Event appeared first on Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association.

MBLA 2013 Annual Meeting and Elections

Abim Thomas — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 14:55:27 +0000

On April 23, 2013, the MBLA held its Annual Meeting. At the Annual Meeting, the membership elected the 2013-2014 MBLA Board. Congratulations to the new Board members!

Serge Georges, Jr. - President
Tavares Brewington - President-Elect
Rachael Rollins - Immediate Past-President
E. Abim Thomas - Executive Vice-President
Angela Gomes - Secretary
Doreen Rachal - Treasurer

R. Wesley Alexander - Director
Andrea J. Campbell - Director
Donald Deng - Director
Adam J. Foss - Director
Giselle J. Joffre – Director
Danielle Pelot - Director
Clarence Richardson - Director
Natashia Tidwell - Director
William J. Trach - Director

The post MBLA 2013 Annual Meeting and Elections appeared first on Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association.

Professional Development Program

Abim Thomas — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 14:03:32 +0000

On April 2, 2013, the MBLA and SABA GB co-hosted a program at Nixon Peabody titled “More Than A Fling: How to Get Great Clients and Keep Them For Life.” The panelists provided a unique perspective on the art of holding onto your customers and developing meaningful and lasting relationships.

The panelists included:

MBLA President Rachael Rollins, General Counsel of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT)
Lalitha Gunturi, Intellectual Property Counsel at Rocket Software
Raj Dhanda, Real Estate Developer and Owner of several prominent Harvard Square properties

The post Professional Development Program appeared first on Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association.

MBLA 2013 Gala

William Carr — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 11:53:33 +0000

On March 28, 2013, the MBLA held its annual gala at the Westin Copley Place. The gala featured keynote speaker Theodore V. Wells Jr. and honored Professor Derrick Bell (posthumously) and Justice Rogeriee Thompson.

The MBLA would like to thank its generous sponsors:

PLATINUM

Bingham McCutchen LLP
Choate Hall & Stewart LLP
Day Pitney LLP
Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP
EMC Corporation
Goodwin Procter LLP
Holland & Knight LLP
Latham & Watkins LLP
Liberty Mutual Insurance
Mass Mutual Financial Group
McCarter & English, LLP
National Grid
Prince Lobel Tye LLP
Ropes & Gray LLP
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP

GOLD

Boston Bar Association
Boston University School of Law
Fidelity Investments
Foley Hoag LLP
McDermott Will & Emery LLP
Mintz, Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo PC
Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Sniaj & Stewart P.C.
Proskauer Rose
Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi LLP

SILVER

BayState Financial
Burns & Levinson LLP
JAMS, The Resolution Experts
Jones Day
Lawson & Weitzen, LLP
Massachusetts Bar Association
Sullivan & Worcester, LLP

MBLA 2013 Gala in the news:

Boston Bar Association

Mass Lawyers Weekly

Bay State Banner

Ethnic Online

Professor Derrick Bell Tribute Video
by Lisa Marie Boykin and Mark T. Chapman

The post MBLA 2013 Gala appeared first on Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association.

MBLA 40th Anniversary Celebration

Abim Thomas — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 00:14:20 +0000

On March 2, 2013, the MBLA celebrated its 40^th Anniversary at the Emerald Lounge at the Revere Hotel. The event commemorated the organization’s long history and its standing as the oldest affinity bar organization in Massachusetts.

The event honored its past Presidents. Past presidents in attendance included: Walter B. Prince, Charles Walker, Jr., Eddie Jenkins, Jr., Steven Wright, Gina Walcott, Nikki Bogle, Damian Wilmot, and Dominic Blue.

Thanks to all of the organization’s past Presidents and to the founding Board that submitted the Articles of Organization for the entity that came to be known as the Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association on March 2, 1973. The founding Board included: Clarence Dilday- President, Grover G. Jackson- Treasurer, Solomon B. Watson- Clerk, Richard A. Soden, Dennis R. Tourse, and Warren E. Wood.

The post MBLA 40th Anniversary Celebration appeared first on Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association.

2013 Professional Development Event

Abim Thomas — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 16:51:55 +0000

On February 23, 2013, the MBLA partnered with the Boston Bar Association (BBA) to host District Court Boot Camp for New Lawyers at Suffolk University Law School. The program drew over 75 participants. The event was designed to provide novice lawyers with a basic understanding of the procedural and practical world of litigating matters in the District Court. From initiating suit and arraignment up to trial, participants learned what is necessary to meet the demands of busy District Court litigators. Panelists included MBLA President-Elect Serge Georges of the Law Offices of Serge Georges, Jr., Hank Brennan of Carney & Bassil, and District Court Judge Matthew J. Machera.

For those of you who missed the program, Serge Georges provided the BBA Week with the following 5 takeaways:

1) Know the facts of your cases inside and out. There is no excuse for superficial or haphazard factual investigation.

2) Do not overestimate your legal knowledge or the unassailability of your legal position. Research and know the applicable law, rules and standing orders no matter how much you think you know.

3) Conduct effective discovery that is centered on what you need to establish your claims and defenses. Do not rely on generalized “forms” and cutting and pasting.

4) Draft concise motions that are organized, well grounded, use good citations, and that get to the point. At oral argument, be substantive but pithy and don’t talk the judge to death.

5) Join a legal organization where you can have access to more senior attorneys to get mentoring, including practical advice on strategy and drafting.

The post 2013 Professional Development Event appeared first on Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association.