The BBA's Delivery of Legal Services and MLRI invites you to come to the BBA and help low income members of our community get their civil legal questions answered!

You will have the opportunity to work collaboratively with other attorneys on researching and brainstorming answers to legal questions posted to Mass Legal Answers Online (MLAO). Before getting started, MLAO staff will provide you with a brief overview of how to operate the site!

How it works: the community member has a pressing legal need and remotely posts a question to the MLAO website. You will then select a question, read, discuss, and analyze the issue, and then can post an immediate response to that person’s inquiry through the website. To learn more about MLAO, watch this short video. You can also visit Mass Pro Bono, or check out  these FAQs.

What is it: MLAO is a secure and confidential website that is a limited scope service. All help is provided through the website, and there is no expectation of long-term representation. Malpractice insurance is provided by the ABA for the legal guidance that you provide through MLAO. There is no fee for the use of the system or for the advice and information provided by the attorney. See some example questions below!

• A tenant receives notice to quit after withholding rent due to a vermin infestation. How should they respond?
• How could an individual go about getting a divorce from a spouse who has been deported?
• Would a senior citizen receiving SSI and MassHealth lose those benefits if their son or daughter paid for them to move into an assisted living facility?

What do you need: Attorneys of all backgrounds are encouraged to volunteer and we will have experts from Volunteer Lawyers Project on-site to provide guidance and answer any questions from volunteers. All you need to bring is a laptop!

Please register by 10/17. Your name and contact info will be shared with MLAO staff for registration on their site. Please also remember to bring a laptop with you!