Massachusetts
New training videos on selecting and answering questions
I. Referring clients to other resources
In many instances, your client might benefit from legal assistance beyond the advice that you are able to provide through this website. See this link for suggestions of possible referrals.
The Massachusetts Legal Resource Finder, www.masslrf.org, is the most comprehensive referral resource for civil legal aid in Massachusetts. In addition to legal aid programs, it includes other non profits, court based programs and government agencies that may be able to provide legal information or assistance.
Sample language that you can copy and paste to include in a final post to a client if they need additional legal help is as follows:
To get additional legal help with your problem, you can try one of the following:
www.masslrf.org: use this search to get contact information for free and low cost sources of civil legal help, and links to legal information
If you need to hire a lawyer, you can use one of the lawyer referral services on this list. They will give you contact information for specific lawyers, including lawyers that may offer reduced fees.
Click this link for more referrals to other legal help in Massachusetts.
II. Support from the Volunteer Lawyers Project
MLAO partners with the Volunteer Laywers Project. Lawyers from VLP provide trainings that are useful for MLAO volunteers. Visit https://vlpnet.org/events/category/calendar-of-events/ to see upcoming trainings.
III. Web resources
The links below provide introductory information about various areas of the law; the information is organized by Mass Legal Answers Online category.
General
In addition to the resources listed under the specific substantive topics below, make sure to check the relevant substantive library sections that are part of the following website:
- MassProBono – massprobono.org
- The website for pro bono attorneys in Massachusetts. Includes a resource library on a wide range of topics, and a calendar of training events.
- MassLegalServices - masslegalservices.org
- The website for poverty law advocates in Massachusetts. Includes links to advocacy guides, a resource library on a wide range of topics, and a calendar of training and community events. The MassLegalServices library is more comprehensive than MassProBono’s library, so if you don’t find what you are looking for on MassProBono, try MassLegalServices.
- MassLegalHelp – masslegalhelp.org
- Provides practical legal information to Massachusetts residents, with a focus on issues that affect low income people. Legal information is written in “plain language” and much of it is available in multiple languages. Although geared for the public, many attorneys find MassLegalHelp to be an invaluable starting point in their own research and to familiarize themselves with an area of law. You can also include links to pages on MassLegalHelp in your responses to clients.
- Massachusetts Trial Court and Law Library - mass.gov/courts/selfhelp/ and www.mass.gov/courts/case-legal-res/law-lib/
- Includes substantive legal information, as well as links to court forms, and courthouse hours, locations and jurisdictions. The law library site includes substantive overviews of over 150 topics. See https://www.mass.gov/guides/massachusetts-law-about-a-to-z-index. You can also use the “Ask a Law Librarian” feature to get help finding legal resources via text, chat, email, phone, instant message or in person.
Bankruptcy
CORI/ Criminal Records
Debt Collection and Consumer
- Attorney General Consumer Advocacy division - www.mass.gov/ago/consumer-resources/
- Massachusetts Law About Bankruptcy
- Student Loans - studentloanborrowerassistance.org/
Employment/ Unemployment
- Unemployment Advocacy Guide - masslegalservices.org/unemploymentadvocacyguide
- Attorney General Workplace Rights and wage complaints- www.mass.gov/ago/doing-business-in-massachusetts/workplace-rights
Estates
- MUPC Estate Administration Procedural Guide - www.mass.gov/courts/docs/courts-and-judges/courts/probate-and-family-court/mupc-procedural-guide.pdf
Family Law
Resource page for Family Law questions
Go to https://massprobono.org/mlao-family/ for more detailed information about referrals and legal information for clients that you can include as links in your answers.
- 2018 Family Law Advocacy for Low and Moderate Income Litigants - www.masslegalservices.org/FamilyLawAdvocacyForLowAndModerateIncomeLitigants
- Massachusetts Law About Child Support
Housing
- Legal Tactics: Tenants Rights in Massachusetts – masslegalhelp.org/housing/legal-tactics1
- Emergency Assistance (shelter) Advocacy Guide - masslegalservices.org/emergencyassistanceadvocacyguide
- Rent withholding is a complex issue and can have serious repercussions for tenants if not done properly. See information from Legal Tactics: http://www.masslegalhelp.org/options-if-your-landlord-refuses-to-make-repairs.
- PLEASE NOTE: the names of parties in most civil litigation cases in Massachusetts’ state courts, including landlord tenant matters, are public information that can now be accessed remotely via the court's website www.masscourts.org. We have been informed that certain landlords are refusing to rent to people whose names appear in Mass Courts, even if they were not at fault. Please consider this information when advising tenants of their options
Public Benefits (SNAP/ Food Stamps, TAFDC, Veterans, other cash assistance)
- SNAP Advocacy Guide - masslegalservices.org/FoodStampSNAPAdvocacyGuide
- TAFDC Advocacy Guide - masslegalservices.org/TAFDCAdvocacyGuide
- Veterans - masslegalhelp.org/income-benefits/veterans-service-benefits
- State and Federal Veterans Training
- Mass.gov Resources for Veterans
SSI/ SSDI
- Social Security website – ssa.gov
- Disability Law Center SSI/ SSDI Benefits Overview - masslegalservices.org/SSI-SSDI-Benefits-Outline
Active-Duty Military/Veterans Legal Assistance
Veterans Legal Services
https://veteranslegalservices.org
Veterans Legal Services' mission is to promote self-sufficiency, stability, and financial security of homeless and low-income veterans through free and accessible legal services. Veterans Legal Services provides assistance to veterans living in Massachusetts.ABA Home Front
ABA Home Front
ABA Home Front provides legal information, resources, and a directory of legal programs for veterans, service members, and military families. Programs listed include military legal assistance offices, legal aid and pro bono organizations, lawyer referral and information services, and military-specific programs where available.
ABA Military Pro Bono Project
The ABA Military Pro Bono Project accepts case referrals from military attorneys on behalf of junior-enlisted, active-duty military personnel facing civil legal issues, and it works to place these cases with pro bono attorneys. The Project is also the platform for Operation Stand-By, through which military attorneys and other pro bono attorneys may seek attorney-to-attorney guidance.
IV. Trainings
The Massachusetts legal community sponsors a wide variety of trainings through bar associations and MCLE. In addition, many legal services programs present trainings throughout the year on issues that are particularly relevant to low income people.
- See the training calendar on MassProBono.org for upcoming trainings.
- Also see the schedule of upcoming Basic Benefits Trainings.
Your participation in Mass Legal Answers Online may qualify you for a fee waiver at certain trainings which ordinarily have an admission charge. If you are interested in attending one of the trainings listed in the calendar, and you would like to explore a fee waiver, contact us at [email protected].