Northeast Legal Aid, Inc.

Lawrence Community Justice Support Center Hosts Open House to introduce services and resources to area residents Residents, members of the legal community, representatives from human services agencies and a State Representative turned out for the Fall Open House of the Lawrence Community Justice Support Center. The centers are credited for reducing recidivism by up to 36 percent among clients who attend. Nearly a dozen agencies, including Massachusetts Trial Court departments, set up resource tables at the event. There were representatives from Northeast Legal Aid, Vinfin, Riverbend, the Massachusetts Trial Court Community Service Program, and the Massachusetts Probation Service’s Pretrial Services Division. A center client, David, spoke about the help he receives at the center. “They’re a big help. I don’t know about email and .coms just coming out. I’m disabled and they have helped me with housing and filling out forms, and navigating me through the things that I need at this point in my life,” he said. Another client, Jessica, said, “At first, I didn’t want to have anything to do with the center. If it weren’t for the staff, I wouldn’t be in the rooming house I am in today. They really helped me in a lot of ways. I would tell me who first come to the center to put their ego aside and do what’s best for you. Stop listening to what people are saying in the streets because the streets aren’t it.” The Lawrence CJSC Open House is one of 18 events that are taking place as part of a Fall series of gatherings to introduce the local community to centers across the state. VIDEOS: Program Manager Debbie Truong https://lnkd.in/eiiz_WBN David, Lawrence CJSC client https://lnkd.in/eF5h-YtW #Lawrence #CityofLawrence #MATrialCourt #MassachusettsProbationService #Communityresources #Northeastlegalaid #Vivfin #Riverbend #OfficeofCommunityCorrections #OldColonyYMCA

Staff Spotlight: Lorraine Medrano, Senior Paralegal 🌟 For Lorraine, justice is about dignity, equality, and standing up for those who feel unseen. "No one individual is more important than the other,” she says. This October marks Lorraine’s 25th year with NLA. From protecting people's housing rights to keeping families together with the Family Preservation Project, her commitment to justice has never wavered. Thank you, Lorraine, for your decades of service, deep compassion, and relentless pursuit of justice. 💛⚖️

This past May, a new Massachusetts eviction sealing law went into effect, allowing tenants to file a petition to seal certain eviction records. On July 14th, Northeast Legal Aid, Northeast Justice Center, and Lynn United for Change will be hosting an Eviction Record Sealing Clinic. Come and learn about your rights, get help filling out the petition, and take the first step toward a clean housing record. Please use the following link to sign up: https://lnkd.in/gq4MhxiE Walk-ins also allowed.

🏆 Celebrate Excellence in Pro Bono Work – Nominate for the 2025 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards! The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court's Standing Committee on Pro Bono Legal Services is now accepting nominations for the 2025 Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards — honoring exceptional commitment to providing legal services to those in need. These awards highlight the dedication of lawyers, law students, and legal organizations who go above and beyond to ensure access to justice for all. If you know a colleague or organization that exemplifies this spirit of service, now is the time to shine a light on their impact! ⏰ Deadline for nominations: Monday, June 30, 2025 🎊 A ceremony honoring Adams Award recipients and Pro Bono Honor Roll participants will be held on Tuesday, October 28, 2025 at 4:00 p.m. at the John Adams Courthouse in Boston. Please spread the word to your networks! You can find more information about criteria for nominations and other details at this link:  🔗 https://lnkd.in/eHwkxbDz ⚖️ #AccessToJustice #ProBono #AdamsAwards #LegalCommunity #MassachusettsLawyers #SJC #PublicService #ProBonoHonorRoll

✨May spotlight organization incoming!✨ For our Mass Pro Bono May spotlight, we are highlighting pro bono opportunities with Northeast Legal Aid, Inc.! Northeast Legal Aid (NLA) and its subsidiary, the Northeast Justice Center (NJC) offer free civil legal services to low-income and elderly individuals and families in Northeast Massachusetts. NLA and NJC provide free legal help in the areas of housing, family, immigration, LGBTQ+, elder law, and more. NLA has a range of pro bono cases available, from basic to complex. Opportunities also range from in-person to remote. NLA provides training, ongoing supervision, opportunities to collaborate with NLA's legal team, and professional liability insurance to all volunteers.  Some of our main pro bono projects that are actively seeking volunteers include our Housing Court Lawyer for the Day Project, 209A Restraining Order Project on behalf of domestic violence survivors, and assisting elders with simple wills. Visit the links below to learn how you can make a difference! 🔗 NLA opportunities on Mass Pro Bono: https://lnkd.in/gVC54nuR  🔗 NLA: https://lnkd.in/dKUZ7b6i  ⚖️ #ProBono #AccessToJustice