MassBar Beat

In this episode host Jordan Rich speaks with Massachusetts Bar Association Mock Trial Committee members and co-chairs, teacher coaches, student participants and judges. Each of them offer a keen perspective of their involvement in the MassBar’s High School Mock Trial Program with the hope that others will volunteer and participate in this year’s program and future competitions.

Continuing its commitment to cultivating leaders who work diligently toward the improvement of our profession and our society, the Massachusetts Bar Association developed a Leadership Academy to better prepare young attorneys to assume leadership roles at the bar, in their firms or organizations, and in government. In this episode, host Jordan Rich talks to Nicole Cocozza, an attorney at Prince Lobel, about the practical skills and insights she learned as a graduate of the most recent MBA Leadership Academy class.

In this episode, MBA Lawyer Well-Being Committee Co-chair Marianne C. LeBlanc and lawyer-turned-therapist Andrew Kang, JD, LICSW, talk with host Jordan Rich about the increased stress and pressure that lawyers feel generally and especially around the holidays. In addition to offering coping strategies, they encourage lawyers to seek help when needed and embrace individual wellness as a normal and necessary part of their professional journey.

The Massachusetts Bar Association celebrates Conflict Resolution Week from Oct. 18-22. On this episode hosted by Jordan Rich, Dispute Resolution practitioners and program co-chairs Julie R. Bryan (chair of the MBA's Dispute Resolution Section) and Michael A. Zeytoonian preview the MBA's free Conflict Resolution Day webinar on Oct. 21 (4-6 p.m.), "Reimagining the Dispute Resolution Frontier: How Technology and the Pandemic Have Triggered A DR Evolution." You'll get insight into how virtual technology has changed the landscape, expanded the toolbox and affected the future outlook for dispute resolution. You'll also hear about what DR practitioners are doing to maintain wellness in the profession, as well as recommendations for those looking to get started in the field of dispute resolution.

Learn about short statutes of limitations, sticky statutes of repose and many other insidious malpractice hazards found in the newly expanded Seventh Edition of "Traps for the Unwary," the Massachusetts Bar Association’s award-winning malpractice prevention handbook. The e-publication is now available to all MBA members as an exclusive member benefit during the 2021-22 association year. In this episode, host Jordan Rich talks with O’Malley, Harvey and Brosnan LLP attorneys James E. Harvey Jr. (editor-in-chief) and John F. Brosnan (senior editor) about what's inside "Traps" and why it's a must-read for Massachusetts lawyers in civil practice.

The Massachusetts Bar Association Clemency Task Force was formed to review the clemency process in Massachusetts (commutations and pardons), and to propose changes in areas that have resulted in denial of equal justice under the law and undermined public trust and confidence in our criminal legal system. In March 2021, the task force issued a report (www.massbar.org/ClemencyReport) recommending a series of reforms to be adopted by state leaders. In this episode of the MassBar Beat, host Jordan Rich talks with MBA Clemency Task Force members, including retired Supreme Judicial Court Justice Robert J. Cordy and attorneys Sabrina E. Bonanno (co-chair) and Patricia A. Dejuneas, about the task force’s recommendations and why these changes are necessary.

In this episode, host Jordan Rich talks with Jill Joyce, HUD Certified Housing Counselor and Certified HECM Counselor, and attorney Stephen Pepe, an HECM Loan Specialist at Reverse Mortgage Funding LLC, about the benefits of using reverse mortgages, as well as what to look out for when applying for one. This is one of three companion MassBar Beat podcast episodes released in conjunction with the publication of the 2021 edition of the Elder Law Education Guide (ELG), the 12th edition of the Massachusetts Bar Association’s resource guide on a wide range of legal issues affecting the lives of older adults, which is available for free at www.massbar.org/ElderLaw.

In this episode, host Jordan Rich talks with attorney Alex L. Moschella, chair of the MBA's Elder Law Advisory Committee, and Nicole McGurin, Director of Family Services, Alzheimer's Association, Massachusetts/New Hampshire Chapter, about the common questions that arise when older adults experience physical or cognitive impairments later in life that could affect their driving, as well as resources available to help. This is one of three companion MassBar Beat podcast episodes released in conjunction with the publication of the 2021 edition of the Elder Law Education Guide (ELG), the 12th edition of the Massachusetts Bar Association’s resource guide on a wide range of legal issues affecting the lives of older adults, which is available for free at www.massbar.org/ElderLaw.

In this episode, host Jordan Rich talks with attorney Josephine Babiarz, a member of the MBA's Elder Law Advisory Committee, about frequently asked questions related to Medicare, including who is eligible; how to enroll; and the differences between parts A, B, C and D. This is one of three companion MassBar Beat podcast episodes released in conjunction with the publication of the 2021 edition of the Elder Law Education Guide (ELG), the 12th edition of the Massachusetts Bar Association’s resource guide on a wide range of legal issues affecting the lives of older adults, which is available for free at www.massbar.org/ElderLaw.

Finding a lawyer to take your case can be daunting if you’ve never hired a lawyer before. In this episode, host Jordan Rich helps demystify the process as he talks with Andover attorneys Paul J. Klehm of Krasnoo, Klehm & Falkner LLP and Edward Denn of Denn Law Group LLC about what information attorneys look for when determining whether to take a case and how clients can best prepare for the initial meeting with their attorney.