Massachusetts Law Reform Institute to Honor Sue Finegan, Esq. of Mintz with 2025 Catalyst for Change Award
For Immediate Release
Media Contact
Madeline Graf, mgraf@mlri.org , 617-357-0700 ext. 368
Boston, MA (May 7, 2025) – The Massachusetts Law Reform Institute (MLRI) is pleased to announce that Sue Finegan, Esq., Chair of the Pro Bono Committee at Mintz, will be honored with the prestigious Catalyst for Change Award on September 18th, 2025. The annual award recognizes exceptional leaders in the community who strive for economic, racial, and social justice for low-income people in Massachusetts.
Massachusetts Law Reform Institute Announces Board Transitions
For Immediate Release
Media Contact:
Madeline Graf, mgraf@mlri.org, (617) 357-0700 ext. 368
BOSTON, MA (May 1, 2025) – The Massachusetts Law Reform Institute (MLRI) is announcing changes to its Board of Trustees, marking both a fond farewell and a warm welcome to distinguished leaders in the legal and advocacy communities.
New Massachusetts Eviction Record Sealing Law to go into Effect May 5, 2025
For Immediate Release
Media Contact:
Madeline Graf, mgraf@mlri.org, 617-357-0700 ext. 368
Boston, MA (May 1, 2025) – Massachusetts tenants now have the right to seal their eviction records in certain types of cases, removing a significant barrier to housing access. The Massachusetts Law Reform Institute (MLRI) is excited to announce that the new eviction record sealing protections, passed as part of the Affordable Homes Act, are now in effect, providing eligible tenants with the chance for a clean slate as they search for a next place to live.
SNAP Day of Action: Federal Proposals Threaten Food Access for Millions Across the Country, Including Massachusetts and Neighboring States
CONTACT:
Project Bread: Allison Epstein, 203-915-8364 allison@teakmedia.com
MLRI: Madeline Graf, (857) 241-1745, mgraf@mlri.org
Advocates, food security organizations and partners across the Northeast rally to protect critical food benefits that support local economies and help families buy groceries.
[Massachusetts] — As Congress deliberates a budget reconciliation bill that would drastically cut funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid, advocates across the Northeast —including Project Bread, Children’s HealthWatch, Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, The Greater Boston Food Bank, Merrimack Valley Food Bank, Worcester County Food Bank, and others —have joined together to raise the alarm.
Massachusetts Law Reform Institute (MLRI) Statement Responding to Executive Order 14224
4/1/2025
On Saturday, March 1st 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14224 which designated English as the official language of the United States of America. Many have considered this action to be symbolic, but Executive Order 14224 should be understood as a first step in upending federal language access policy by rescinding Executive Order 13166: Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency. The Massachusetts Law Reform Institute stands with all limited English proficient (LEP) people whose right to equal access to government services and benefits is being jeopardized by this change in federal language access policy.
MassProBono.org Relaunches to Connect Massachusetts Lawyers with Those in Need
Boston, MA – February 10, 2025 – MassProBono.org, a vital online resource for lawyers, paralegals, and law students looking to contribute their time to meet the legal needs of vulnerable people across Massachusetts, has been redesigned and updated. Volunteers can now browse more than 60 curated, up-to-date pro bono opportunities from legal aid organizations across the Commonwealth to find projects that match their skills, interests, and availability. The website also features a calendar of training sessions and events aimed at strengthening volunteers’ ability to serve those in need of legal assistance. Mass Pro Bono is managed by the Massachusetts Legal Aid Websites Project, at the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute (MLRI).
Press Statement for Martin Luther King Jr. Day by Georgia Katsoulomitis and Massachusetts Law Reform Institute (MLRI)
January 2025
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a time for all of us to reflect on Dr. King’s unwavering commitment to justice, equality, and the eradication of poverty. His vision, his dedication and his life’s work drive all of us who fight each day to eliminate poverty, injustice and inequality and to advance racial justice.
Congress’s Last-Minute Compromise to Avoid a Shutdown Eliminated its Previous Agreement to Replace Food Benefits Stolen from Low-Income Families
BOSTON, MA (December 23, 2024) – Low-income families struggling to put food on the table are a major casualty of last week’s political maneuvering to avoid a government shutdown.
Since summer 2022, thousands of Massachusetts families have had their food benefits stolen through no fault of their own due to organized card-skimming schemes. SNAP benefits are particularly vulnerable to theft because the benefit cards use a magnetic stripe instead of a chip. To make matters worse, Congress in 1996 denied SNAP families the recourse available to other cardholders whose funds are stolen.