What We Do
MLRI has been the principal statewide advocacy center for Massachusetts legal services programs since 1968. MLRI advocates for low-income people, minorities, elders and disabled people in their struggle for basic human needs; defends against policies and actions that harm and marginalize people living in poverty; advocates for systemic reforms that achieve social and economic justice and provides support for those that do similar work.
MLRI provides a broad range of support so that local legal services program advocates can more effectively and efficiently represent their clients. It provides statewide client impact representation so that major legal problems of those clients can be addressed on a more systematic basis. The major legal fields which MLRI covers are public benefits, housing, family, immigration, health, employment and the rights of minorities and seniors. Among MLRI's many accomplishments over the years are nearly all the laws that provide protections and due process rights to tenants and utility customers; participation in most of the health services improvements for the most vulnerable persons; the court and hospital interpreter services laws; and protections against cutbacks in public assistance and health programs which benefit these same populations.
How We Fare
In the fall of 2003, a nationally respected evaluator of legal services programs reached these conclusions as a result of his comprehensive review of MLRI’s work and of survey responses from MLRI’s main constituency, advocates in local legal services programs across the state.
"MLRI is uniformly viewed throughout the state as producing exceptionally high quality work and as being highly responsive to the needs of its constituent programs. Selected quotes from comments to the survey conducted as part of this study capture the flavor of how MLRI is appreciated and, indeed, revered by its constituents.
"MLRI is the best state support center in the country. It is an honor to work with such talented and committed people."
"The key to the system is MLRI. I can’t tell you how important it is to have a separate unit that watches these issues."
"I cannot speak highly enough of the work of MLRI. It has to be the single most valuable organization in this state."
And survey responses showed that 97% of respondents placed MLRI in the top two categories, on a scale of 1 to 5, for measuring the program’s effectiveness. In addition, responders to the survey rated MLRI on 54 different aspects of its work, on a scale of 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest score). MLRI received an average score of 4.66.
Who We Are
MLRI has a staff of approximately thirty persons who provide statewide advocacy and advocacy support in a wide range of poverty law fields and also provide functional support in publications, technology and training.
Click below for the MLRI Staff list as a file in different formats, or click here for an on-screen listing.
MLRI is governed by a board of twenty-three persons, at least one-half of whom are lawyers and at least one-third of whom are eligible legal services clients.
Click below for the MLRI Board list as a file in different formats, or click here for an on-screen listing.
MLRI Board List
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MLRI Board List
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MLRI Board List
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MLRI Staff List
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