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.

Reverse Mortgages as a Retirement Tool

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.

'Traps for the Unwary' Handbook Warns of Malpractice Hazards

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.

‘Tis the Season for Stress Reduction

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.

MBA Leadership Academy: Insights and Opportunities

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.

Mock Trial 360: Inside the MassBar High School Mock Trial Competition

The Supreme Judicial Court’s Standing Committee on Lawyer Well-Being (“SJC Committee”) has released the 2020-21 Lawyer Census Report – the first lawyer census report ever conducted in Massachusetts. The census was based on results of the Attorney Demographic and Law Practice Survey, which is now a mandatory part of the registration process. In this episode of the MassBar Beat, Heidi Alexander, the director of the SJC Committee, talks with host Jordan Rich about the results of the census and what it means for lawyers going forward. To access the census, visit: https://lawyerwellbeingma.org.

Massachusetts Lawyers Census - What the Results Mean

The Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission is charged with creating a mandatory certification process for police officers, as well as processes for decertification, suspension of certification, and retraining in the event of certain misconduct. In this episode, POST Commissioner Marsha Kazarosian, a past Massachusetts Bar Association president, speaks with host Jordan Rich about the POST Commission's formation and ongoing work.

Inside the Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission

If you’re working in the legal profession and struggling, it’s OK to ask for help. In this episode, host Jordan Rich moderates an important discussion about lawyer well-being with Amanda Rowan, an assistant clerk magistrate and co-chair of the Massachusetts Bar Association’s Lawyer Well-Being Committee; Rebecca Green Neale, an attorney in private practice; and Shawn Healy, PhD., a clinical psychologist with Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers. Hear personal accounts about some of the ways that lawyers and law students experience burnout, stress, vicarious trauma and other challenges, as well as some of the helpful resources available to lawyers and law students in Massachusetts.

Let's Talk About Lawyer Well-Being

“How Did I Get Here?” is a new series on the MassBar Beat podcast exploring the path from new lawyer to partner through in-depth interviews with lawyers at law firms, solo practitioners, in-house counsel and government employees about their unique path to a partner-level position. For the first episode in the series, host Jordan Rich talks with Massachusetts Bar Association Civil Litigation Section Chair Michael D. Molloy about his path to becoming a partner with Marcotte Law Firm in Lowell.

How Did I Get Here? Ep. 1: Michael D. Molloy, Partner, Marcotte Law Firm, LLC

“How Did I Get Here?” is a new series on the MassBar Beat podcast exploring the path from new lawyer to partner through in-depth interviews with lawyers at law firms, solo practitioners, in-house counsel and government employees about their unique path to a partner-level position. In this episode, host Michael D. Molloy, who is chair of the Massachusetts Bar Association Civil Litigation Section, talks with attorney Michael J. Leard about his path to becoming a partner with Nutter in Boston.

How Did I Get Here? Ep. 2 Michael J. Leard, Partner, Nutter

“How Did I Get Here?” is a new series on the MassBar Beat podcast exploring the path from new lawyer to partner through in-depth interviews with lawyers at law firms, solo practitioners, in-house counsel and government employees about their unique path to a partner-level position. In this episode, host Michael D. Molloy, who is chair of the Massachusetts Bar Association Civil Litigation Section, talks with attorney David Greco about his path to becoming Chief Compliance Officer at the Executive Office of Health and Human Services for the commonwealth of Massachusetts.

How Did I Get Here? Ep. 3: David Greco, Chief Compliance Officer, Massachusetts EOHHS

“How Did I Get Here?” is a series on the MassBar Beat podcast exploring the path from new lawyer to partner through in-depth interviews with lawyers at law firms, solo practitioners, in-house counsel and government employees about their unique path to a partner-level position. In this episode, host Michael D. Molloy, who is chair of the Massachusetts Bar Association Civil Litigation Section, talks with attorney Liz Dillon about her path to becoming Assistant General Counsel at Simmons University in Boston.

How Did I Get Here? Ep. 4: Liz Dillon, Assistant General Counsel, Simmons University

“How Did I Get Here?” is a series on the MassBar Beat podcast exploring the path from new lawyer to partner through in-depth interviews with lawyers at law firms, solo practitioners, in-house counsel and government employees about their unique path to a partner-level position.

In this episode, host Michael D. Molloy, who is chair of the Massachusetts Bar Association Civil Litigation Section, talks with attorney Michelle M. Byers, who is vice chair of the MBA's Civil Litigation Section, about her path to becoming a member of Campbell Conroy & O'Neil, P.C.

Their discussion touches on such topics as using a firm clerkship as a springboard to full time work, the importance of mentors, the advantages of belonging to bar associations like the MBA, overcoming setbacks while practicing law, and more.

How Did I Get Here? Ep. 5: Michelle M. Byers of Campbell Conroy & O'Neil, P.C.

“How Did I Get Here?” is a series on the MassBar Beat podcast exploring the path from new lawyer to partner through in-depth interviews with lawyers at law firms, solo practitioners, in-house counsel and government employees about their unique path to a partner-level position.

In this episode, host Michael D. Molloy, chair of the Massachusetts Bar Association Civil Litigation Section, talks with Kevin Lewis, a lawyer who works as a managing director at Alvarez & Marsal Tax in Boston (A&M). They discuss Lewis' nontraditional career path from law school to his current role, including what it was like to get an LLM in Tax and work alongside CPAs and fellow tax lawyers at a Big 4 accounting firm along the way.

How Did I Get Here? Ep. 6: Kevin Lewis, Managing Director, Alvarez & Marsal Tax

September is Suicide Prevention Month and also National Recovery Month. In this episode, host Jordan Rich talks with Amanda Rowan, chair of the MBA’s Lawyer Well-Being Committee and an assistant clerk magistrate in Middlesex Superior Court; Dr. Shawn Healy, PhD., director of administrative operations and a clinical psychologist at Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers in Massachusetts (LCL); and Massachusetts Bar Association President Victoria M. Santoro about the importance of de-stigmatizing conversations about suicide and recovery -- and how community support is critical for both of these well-being issues.

Help and Hope for Suicide Prevention, People in Recovery

“How Did I Get Here?” is a series on the MassBar Beat podcast exploring the path from new lawyer to partner through in-depth interviews with lawyers at law firms, solo practitioners, in-house counsel and government employees about their unique path to a partner-level position.

In this episode, host Michael D. Molloy, who is chair of the Massachusetts Bar Association Civil Litigation Section, talks with attorney Steven M. Ayr, who is a partner at Casner & Edwards LLP where he handles corporate law, including helping early-stage companies and founders get their businesses off the ground, serving as outside general counsel to his corporate clients, and handling sell-side M&A work. Their discussion touches on how Ayr became a partner at an established Boston law firm several years after opening his own practice, and some of the events and mentors that helped along the way.

How Did I Get Here? Ep. 8: Steven M. Ayer, Partner, Casner & Edwards LLP, Boston

“How Did I Get Here?” is a series on the MassBar Beat podcast exploring the path from new lawyer to partner through in-depth interviews with lawyers at law firms, solo practitioners, in-house counsel and government employees about their unique path to a partner-level position.

In this episode, host Michael D. Molloy, who is chair of the Massachusetts Bar Association Civil Litigation Section, talks with attorney Anne Selinger, who is the executive director of system services operations at Beth Israel Lahey Health. They discuss how Selinger obtained her current position and prior roles, which have included serving in Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker’s administration, working at a prestigious law firm and clerking for the U.S. District Court in Springfield. Selinger also talks about the importance of mentors in her career.

How Did I Get Here? Ep. 9: Anne Selinger, Beth Israel Lahey Health

In this episode presented by the Massachusetts Bar Association's Lawyer Well-Being Committee, host Jordan Rich talks with a multigenerational panel of lawyers, who discuss the unique challenges affecting lawyers' health and well-being at different stages of their careers. Panelists include: Marianne C. LeBlanc (partner, Sugarman and Sugarman PC), Heidi S. Alexander (director, Supreme Judicial Court Standing Committee on Lawyer Well-Being), David Rosenblatt (board member for Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers and retired former managing partner of Burns & Levinson LLP) and Michael P. Dickman (senior associate, Kenney & Sams PLLC).

A Multigenerational Discussion on Lawyer Well-Being: How Can We Help Each Other?

“How Did I Get Here?” is a series on the MassBar Beat podcast exploring the path from new lawyer to partner through in-depth interviews with lawyers at law firms, solo practitioners, in-house counsel and government employees about their unique path to a partner-level position.

In this episode, host Michael D. Molloy, who is chair of the Massachusetts Bar Association Civil Litigation Section, talks with attorney Nicole Paquin, who founded her own firm and also serves as the chair of the MBA's Access to Justice Section. Paquin recounts how she made the jump to start her own solo immigration practice after previously working as a partner in an insurance defense firm and as an attorney in a plaintiffs' personal injury firm.

How Did I Get Here, Ep. 10: Nicole Paquin, Law Office of Nicole Paquin, Newton

“How Did I Get Here?” is a series on the MassBar Beat podcast exploring the path from new lawyer to partner through in-depth interviews with lawyers at law firms, solo practitioners, in-house counsel and government employees about their unique path to a partner-level position.

In this episode, host Michael D. Molloy, who is chair of the Massachusetts Bar Association Civil Litigation Section, talks with attorney Adam C. Ponte, a shareholder with Fletcher Tilton PC who chairs the firm's Litigation Department and also manages the firm's Boston office. Ponte recalls his journey from law school to law partner, discusses the value of mentors, and explains his responsibilities as a member of the firm's management committee.

How Did I Get Here? Ep. 11: Adam C. Ponte, Fletcher Tilton PC, Boston

“How Did I Get Here?” is a series on the MassBar Beat podcast exploring the path from new lawyer to partner through in-depth interviews with lawyers at law firms, solo practitioners, in-house counsel and government employees about their unique path to a partner-level position.

In this episode, host Michael D. Molloy, who is chair of the Massachusetts Bar Association Civil Litigation Section, talks with attorney Erich Bryant, a partner with Ahern, DeWitt & Bryant in Lowell, who also teaches at Boston University's Metropolitan College. Bryant discusses how he got to where he is today with his practice, which includes criminal law (as a bar advocate) and also some personal injury and construction litigation. In addition, he talks about the impact of having a mentor, and gives litigation and courtroom tips for newer lawyers.

How Did I Get Here? Ep. 12: Erich Bryant of Ahern, DeWitt & Bryant in Lowell

Hosted by Jordan Rich, this episode of the MassBar Beat podcast looks at Children and Family Law Appeals and how attorneys from the Massachusetts Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS), the state public defender agency, help children and families in need when the state intervenes. Arlington attorney Laura Openshaw, a private attorney who is on CPCS' appellate panel for Children and Family Law Appeals, discusses her path to this critical area of law, what the work entails, and how other private attorneys can get involved by joining CPCS' upcoming Appellate Panel Certification Training in January 2026. 

Related links: 
https://www.publiccounsel.net/CAFL/Professional/Appellate-practice-tools-and-resources
https://www.publiccounsel.net/train/cafl/

CAFL Appeals: Helping Children and Families in Need

Part of our 2017 Access to Justice Award Series, this podcast features 2017 Pro Bono Award for Law Firms winner K&L Gates. Firm partners Andrew Glass and Sean Higgins discuss the firm's work with the Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) program, where attorneys represent unaccompanied minors who have fled violent situations in their home countries. They also discuss their firm's work with the International Refugee Assistance Project to provide legal services on behalf of individuals from Iraq and Afghanistan. K&L Gates also partners with Veterans Legal Services to provide pro bono representation to veterans in need within the greater Boston area.

Where the groove at

K&L Gates Aids Immigrants and Veterans Through Pro Bono (2017 Access to Justice Awards)

Part of our 2017 Access to Justice Award Series, this podcast features 2017 Defender Award winner Rebecca Jacobstein, a staff attorney in the Appeals Unit of the Committee for Public Counsel Services. Jacobstein has been relentless in the pursuit of justice for both her clients and thousands of others affected by the Sonja Farak drug lab scandal. While she will be the first to tell you that she’s not alone in this effort, Jacobstein says it’s situations like this that show the importance of having public defenders who act as a check and balance on the state.

Public Defender Tackles Fallout from Drug Lab Scandal (2017 Access to Justice Award Series)

The Massachusetts Trial Court issued new Child Support Guidelines for the Massachusetts, which became effective on Sept. 15, 2017. In this episode, Attorney Fern Frolin of Mirick O'Connell, a member of the Trial Court's 2016-2017 Child Support Guidelines Task Force, talks with MassBar Beat host Jordan Rich about some of the major revisions that attorneys and families should be familiar with.

New Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines

Elder law is more than just estate planning. As the population ages and people live longer, many will encounter important legal issues that can affect their home, health and financial well-being. In this episode, host Jordan Rich and attorney Alex L. Moschella, the chair of the Massachusetts Bar Association's Elder Law Advisory Committee, answer some commonly asked questions and discuss the MBA's Elder Law Education Program (www.massbar.org/elderlaw). From wills and trusts to health care proxies, powers of attorney, reverse mortgages and long-term care options, learn which documents and strategies are available to help you take control of your future.

Understanding Elder Law Basics

Appealing a judge's divorce or custody ruling can be fraught with challenges, particularly when children are involved. In this episode, host Jordan Rich interviews attorney Matthew P. Barach, author of "The Family Law Guide to Appellate Practice" (2019, ABA Book Publishing), about what makes family law appeals unique and why alternatives to an appeal are often better options.

Family Law Appeals

The 2020 Elder Law Education Guide, the Massachusetts Bar Association’s 11th Annual resource guide on a wide range of legal issues affecting the lives of older adults, is now available for FREE at www.massbar.org/elderlaw. In this episode of the MassBar Beat, host Jordan Rich talks with two members of the MBA's Elder Law Advisory Committee, attorneys Alex L. Moschella (chair) and Josephine Babiarz, about the guide's COVID-19 Checklist -- a new addition this year, which offers important recommendations on the forms and decisions older adults should have ready in case they are sidelined with COVID-19 or any other potentially serious illness.

COVID-19 Checklist for Older Adults

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to alter employment relationships in Massachusetts, which is still grappling with high unemployment rates as many companies are forced to adapt their practices or close. In this episode, hear answers to some frequently asked questions about employment and unemployment as host Jordan Rich interviews attorney Kavita Goyal, a partner at the firm of Rosen & Goyal P.C. in Andover and chair of the Massachusetts Bar Association’s Labor & Employment Section.

Pandemic FAQs: Job Loss and Employment Concerns

Remote depositions remain the norm more than half a year since COVID-19 safety measures were put in place. In this episode, host Jordan Rich talks with attorney Julianne Fitzpatrick of Kenney & Sams PC, Court reporter Laurie Berg and Kenny Zais, the owner and president of O’Brien & Levine Court Reporting Solutions, about their recommendations for conducting a successful remote deposition.

Remote Depositions: Best Practices and Pitfalls

MassBar Beat is the podcast of the Massachusetts Bar Association -- the preeminent voice of the legal profession in Massachusetts.

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