About MLAC
The Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation (MLAC) was established by the Commonwealth in 1983 to ensure that low-income people with critical non-criminal legal problems would have access to legal information, advice and representation.
MLAC is the largest funding source for civil legal aid programs in Massachusetts.
After 17 months, eviction lawyer program launching in Bristol County
/in Blog, Program News - Archives, Program News - CurrentSoutheast Housing Court is set to launch a program today that provides free legal services to tenants and landlords engaged in the eviction process. After 17 months and more than 600 eviction executions since the pandemic began, it is the last housing court division in the state to adopt the Lawyer for the Day program…“If […]
Construction Project Highlights Accessibility Issues for People With Disabilities
/in Blog, Program News - Archives, Program News - Current,,,”That whole neighborhood is effectively shut off to a person who uses a wheelchair,” said Tom Murphy, a senior attorney with the Disability Law Center. Murphy also met us at the location to give his assessment of the ADA-related issues. His organization recently reached an agreement with the City of Boston to install a curb ramp in […]
Court Ruling, Variant Altering Landscape on Evictions
/in Blog, Program News - Archives, Program News - CurrentA growing chorus of activists and lawmakers want to see action at the state and local level to stave off a potential surge of housing removals, warning that tenants are more “exposed” in the wake of a new U.S. Supreme Court decision lifting a federal eviction moratorium…Andrea Park, a legal aid attorney with the Massachusetts […]
End Of Federal Eviction Moratorium Raises Concerns
/in Blog, Program News - Archives, Program News - CurrentThe end of the CDC’s federal eviction moratorium, after a divided Supreme Court ruling on Thursday night, is being met with disappointment by both local advocacy groups and some landlords as well…Jessica Drew, a staff attorney for Greater Boston Legal Services, said the end of the federal moratorium has the potential to start a wave […]
End of eviction moratorium brings worry
/in Blog, Program News - Archives, Program News - CurrentAnxiety is high among tenants, landlords, and housing advocates as the midnight Saturday expiration date for the federal eviction moratorium looms, but what the end of the tenant protection will actually mean is uncertain…Andrea Park, a housing attorney for the Mass Law Reform Institute, said the federal moratorium was not a blanket ban on evictions, […]
Massachusetts Housing Advocates Fear Wave Of Evictions As Moratorium Times Out
/in Blog, Program News - Archives, Program News - CurrentThe federal government’s eviction moratorium expires this weekend, removing the last remaining protection for tenants who’ve fallen behind on rent during the pandemic…Andrea Park, a housing attorney at the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, said the Biden administration is encouraging quick distribution of federal aid…Gary Klein, who leads the COVID Eviction Legal Help Project at Greater […]
MLAC applauds $35M for civil legal aid in FY22 Budget
/in Blog, News Coverage - Archives, News Coverage - Current, Press Release - CurrentPraises Gov. Baker’s support of $6M increase to aid pandemic recovery BOSTON, July 16, 2021 – Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker signed into law the FY22 budget, including $35 million to fund civil legal aid through the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation, line item 0321-1600. That is a $6 million increase over FY21. MLAC expresses its deep […]
Involuntary treatment for mental illness back before committee
/in Blog, Program News - Archives, Program News - CurrentAdvocates for people with mental illness and those with disabilities lined up Monday afternoon to urge a legislative committee to once again reject legislation that would authorize court-ordered outpatient treatment programs for people with severe mental illness…“Involuntary outpatient commitment, as also referred to earlier as assisted outpatient commitment, undermines the values of personal autonomy, liberty, […]