MLAC is governed by an 11-member Board of Directors, 10 of whom are appointed by the Supreme Judicial Court. The 11th is the Chief Justice for Administration and Management of the Trial Court or that Justice’s designee.
Richard Vitali | Chair
Richard L. Vitali is a private attorney whose practice includes civil litigation, real estate, housing, domestic relations, and criminal law. He has also served as Assistant City Solicitor for the city of Lynn since 1990. From 2011 to 2014 he was president of the Board of Directors of Neighborhood Legal Services. Following program reorganization in 2014, he became vice-president of the board of Northeast Legal Aid, an MLAC-funded program. He is the president of the grassroots consulting firm Business & Industry Advocacy Group, and is a former trustee of the Massachusetts Bar Association. Richard currently serves as MLAC’s Board Chair.
Carol Starkey | Vice Chair
Carol Starkey was appointed to the MLAC Board in 2021 and became vice chair in 2024. She is a partner at Conn Kavanaugh in Boston. A past president of the Boston Bar Association, Starkey practices white collar criminal defense and regulatory law, commercial litigation, and employment litigation. She previously was Chief of the Economic Crimes Division of the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office.
Thomas Bond
Thomas Bond, a founding partner of the Kaplan/Bond Group, joined the MLAC Board in 2024 and brings over 35 years of experience in trial and admiralty law representing workers from underserved communities. Focusing on maritime injury and construction personal injury litigation, Thomas has successfully tried numerous cases and argued and/or briefed over 25 cases before various courts of appeal, including the United States Supreme Court.
As a past president of the Massachusetts Bar Association, he demonstrated his commitment to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within the legal profession. Tom currently serves on the MBA’s executive management board and the House of Delegates, working to advance the legal community, and is the president-elect of the Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys.
April English
April English was appointed to the MLAC Board in 2019. She is Chief of Organization Development & Diversity at the Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General, where she has served in several roles, including as Director of the Insurance & Unemployment Fraud Unit. English brings to the board a dedication to public service and expertise in diversity, equity, and inclusion practices that will help advance MLAC’s leadership in promoting these values in civil legal aid organizations across the Commonwealth.
Livia Gonzalez
Livia Gonzalez, appointed to the MLAC Board in 2024, is a passionate advocate for legal aid and the Muscular Dystrophy Association. She brings knowledge and expertise to this role through her personal journey and work experience, having served as a Board Member for Community Legal Aid. Additionally, Livia participates in fundraising efforts and advocacy campaigns for muscular dystrophy. Her hands-on approach fosters understanding and support and engages and involves others in organizational initiatives.
Carolyn Hely
Carolyn Hely joined the MLAC Board in 2025. She is an Assistant District Attorney at the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office, where she prosecutes homicides and other felonies, including domestic violence and sexual assault cases. She is a former president of the Bar Association of Norfolk County and supports its free legal clinics and conciliation program. She earned a B.A. from Middlebury College with concentrations in economics and Spanish. Carolyn is a graduate of Boston College Law School, where she worked in the Attorney General Civil Litigation Program and served as Articles Editor of Boston College Environmental Affairs Law Review.
Ed McIntyre
Edward W. McIntyre is the Mediator-Arbitrator of McIntyre Mediation, where he has focused on alternative dispute resolution since 2008. He is also a sole practitioner with decades of experience in civil litigation, specifically cases involving serious and life-altering injuries. He is a current member of the Massachusetts Trial Court Department’s Standing Committee on Alternative Dispute Resolution, and a former President of the Massachusetts Bar Association. He served as an officer in the US Army and is a Vietnam combat veteran.
Mala M. Rafik
Mala Rafik was appointed to the board in 2015 and became Chair in 2020. She is a partner at Rosenfeld Rafik & Sullivan, representing clients denied access to health care as well as individuals seeking short-and long-term disability, life and long-term care benefits from private insurance carriers. She is a member of the boards of directors of Prisoners’ Legal Services and Health Law Advocates.
Hon. Richard A. Simons
Hon. Richard A Simons is the First Justice of Berkshire County Probate and Family Court in Massachusetts. He was appointed to the bench by former Governor Deval Patrick in 2008. Before joining the bench, he was a partner at Simons, Smith & Gerrard, P.C. and a Board of Bar Overseers hearing member.
In addition to his judgeship, the Honorable Richard Simons serves as Chair of the Court’s Education Committee and as a Trustee of the Flaschner Judicial Institute. He is passionate about his work serving on the Advisory Committee for both the J2J Mentor Program and the Changing Lives Through Literature Committee.
Nina Sousa
Nina Sousa was appointed to the MLAC Board in the fall of 2025. She founded Sousa Family Law in 2023 and represents clients in a wide variety of cases, including divorce, custody, guardianships, and more. Nina also serves in specialized roles as an Attorney Representing Children(ARC), a Guardian ad Litem (GAL), a professional parenting time supervisor, and a Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS) panel attorney. Nina has devoted her career to working directly with families, juveniles, courts, schools, police, and mental health professionals. She previously served as the Director of Fall River’s South Coast Youth Courts. Nina received her J.D. from the University of Massachusetts Law School.