MassBar Beat

CAFL Appeals: Helping Children and Families in Need

Hosted by Jordan Rich, this episode of the MassBar Beat podcast looks at Children and Family Law Appeals and how attorneys from the Massachusetts Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS), the state public defender agency, help children and families in need when the state intervenes. Arlington attorney Laura Openshaw, a private attorney who is on CPCS' appellate panel for Children and Family Law Appeals, discusses her path to this critical area of law, what the work entails, and how other private attorneys can get involved by joining CPCS' upcoming Appellate Panel Certification Training in January 2026. Related links: https://www.publiccounsel.net/CAFL/Professional/Appellate-practice-tools-and-resources https://www.publiccounsel.net/train/cafl/

How Did I Get Here? Ep. 12: Erich Bryant of Ahern, DeWitt & Bryant in Lowell

“How Did I Get Here?” is a series on the MassBar Beat podcast exploring the path from new lawyer to partner through in-depth interviews with lawyers at law firms, solo practitioners, in-house counsel and government employees about their unique path to a partner-level position. In this episode, host Michael D. Molloy, who is chair of the Massachusetts Bar Association Civil Litigation Section, talks with attorney Erich Bryant, a partner with Ahern, DeWitt & Bryant in Lowell, who also teaches at Boston University's Metropolitan College. Bryant discusses how he got to where he is today with his practice, which includes criminal law (as a bar advocate) and also some personal injury and construction litigation. In addition, he talks about the impact of having a mentor, and gives litigation and courtroom tips for newer lawyers.

How Did I Get Here? Ep. 11: Adam C. Ponte, Fletcher Tilton PC, Boston

“How Did I Get Here?” is a series on the MassBar Beat podcast exploring the path from new lawyer to partner through in-depth interviews with lawyers at law firms, solo practitioners, in-house counsel and government employees about their unique path to a partner-level position. In this episode, host Michael D. Molloy, who is chair of the Massachusetts Bar Association Civil Litigation Section, talks with attorney Adam C. Ponte, a shareholder with Fletcher Tilton PC who chairs the firm's Litigation Department and also manages the firm's Boston office. Ponte recalls his journey from law school to law partner, discusses the value of mentors, and explains his responsibilities as a member of the firm's management committee.

How Did I Get Here, Ep. 10: Nicole Paquin, Law Office of Nicole Paquin, Newton

“How Did I Get Here?” is a series on the MassBar Beat podcast exploring the path from new lawyer to partner through in-depth interviews with lawyers at law firms, solo practitioners, in-house counsel and government employees about their unique path to a partner-level position. In this episode, host Michael D. Molloy, who is chair of the Massachusetts Bar Association Civil Litigation Section, talks with attorney Nicole Paquin, who founded her own firm and also serves as the chair of the MBA's Access to Justice Section. Paquin recounts how she made the jump to start her own solo immigration practice after previously working as a partner in an insurance defense firm and as an attorney in a plaintiffs' personal injury firm.

A Multigenerational Discussion on Lawyer Well-Being: How Can We Help Each Other?

In this episode presented by the Massachusetts Bar Association's Lawyer Well-Being Committee, host Jordan Rich talks with a multigenerational panel of lawyers, who discuss the unique challenges affecting lawyers' health and well-being at different stages of their careers. Panelists include: Marianne C. LeBlanc (partner, Sugarman and Sugarman PC), Heidi S. Alexander (director, Supreme Judicial Court Standing Committee on Lawyer Well-Being), David Rosenblatt (board member for Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers and retired former managing partner of Burns & Levinson LLP) and Michael P. Dickman (senior associate, Kenney & Sams PLLC).