What Volunteer Opportunities Does the Massachusetts Bar Association Offer?

Updated

The Massachusetts Bar Association (MBA) offers several volunteer opportunities for attorneys and legal professionals, including community service programs such as Dial-A-Lawyer and Mock Trial, as well as the MBA Innocence Initiative. According to the MBA website, members can "volunteer on community service programs like Dial-A-Lawyer, Mock Trial and others," and the site also features resources for those interested in volunteering with the MBA's Innocence Initiative. These opportunities are best suited to MBA members or legal professionals who want to contribute their time to access-to-justice and public service efforts across Massachusetts.

Community Service Programs

The MBA's volunteer page highlights community service programs as a primary way for members to get involved. Two named examples are:

  • Dial-A-Lawyer — a program through which attorneys provide legal information to the public by phone.
  • Mock Trial — a program that engages volunteers in supporting student mock trial competitions.

The website describes these as "community service programs" and notes that the MBA "offers several opportunities for members to volunteer" in this category. The page does not list every program, so the full range of community service options may extend beyond these two examples.

Innocence and Conviction Integrity Initiatives

The MBA also maintains a dedicated page for its Innocence and Conviction Integrity Initiatives. According to the site, this page "features helpful resources for those interested in volunteering with the MBA's Innocence Initiative, resources for prosecutorial Conviction Integrity Programs and a 'Timeline of Progress.'"

This means the initiative serves two audiences:

  • Attorneys interested in volunteering with the Innocence Initiative.
  • Those seeking resources related to prosecutorial Conviction Integrity Programs.

The MBA describes the page as a resource hub rather than a sign-up form, so volunteers should expect to review the materials and follow the linked guidance to get involved.

Related Access-to-Justice Work

The MBA's Chief Justice Ralph Gants Fund for Racial Equity and Access to Justice supports "initiatives to advance access to justice, racial equity and criminal justice reform in the legal system." While the website excerpt does not explicitly frame this fund as a volunteer program, it reflects the broader access-to-justice focus that connects to the MBA's volunteer initiatives.

How to Find More Information

The MBA website provides a Resources section with a "view all" link, and the volunteer page itself directs visitors to "Learn more" about volunteering with the MBA. To explore opportunities:

  1. Visit the MBA website's volunteer page.
  2. Review the listed community service programs (Dial-A-Lawyer, Mock Trial, and others).
  3. Check the Innocence and Conviction Integrity Initiatives page for volunteer resources and the "Timeline of Progress."
  4. Use the Resources section to browse additional MBA tools and services.

Key Takeaways

Opportunity What It Involves Where to Learn More
Dial-A-Lawyer Providing legal information by phone MBA volunteer page
Mock Trial Supporting student mock trial programs MBA volunteer page
Innocence Initiative Volunteering with conviction integrity efforts MBA Innocence and Conviction Integrity Initiatives page
Other community service programs Various public service roles MBA volunteer page ("and others")

The MBA frames volunteering as part of its broader member benefits, which also include free tools such as Decisis legal research and Smokeball Bill trust and billing software. For attorneys seeking to combine professional development with public service, the MBA's volunteer programs offer structured entry points, though the website does not specify eligibility requirements or time commitments beyond membership.