The Lawyer for the Day Program is being held in the Norfolk County Probate and Family Court, Canton. An attorney volunteers and delivers services on their scheduled day, and assists the public who arrive in court that day on any matter that may be heard in the Probate and Family Court.

In 1980 the Norfolk County Bar Advocates, Inc. was implemented. To date over one thousand attorneys have participated in the Bar Advocate Program. Presently the Bar Advocate Program consists of 249 attorneys actively participating. The attorneys are scheduled in the Superior and District Courts representing indigent clients in all criminal and juvenile matters. The Bar Advocates are compensated for their services while continuing to take part in legal training and seminars.

Each week an attorney is scheduled to meet with inmates at the Norfolk County Correctional Facility for approximately four to five hours to discuss any problems or issues they may have. The pro bono panel of attorneys provide legal assistance to the inmates. If you are interested in participating, please call our office for further information.

The Bar Association of Norfolk County sponsors free legal seminars on a continuous basis addressing all areas of the law,and are usually free to all Bar Association members. The seminars are held in the courthouses of Norfolk County.

Over one hundred attorneys have responded by placing their name on a list which is publicized in the newspapers of Norfolk County and radio stations as a public service announcement. The attorneys make themselves available to local business groups, organizations, and community agencies to speak on specific areas of the law.

Each year a Legislative Breakfast is held in Norfolk County. Historically this breakfast has been very well attended by local attorneys, the judiciary sitting in Norfolk County, State Senators and Representatives. Over 90% of Norfolk County's Representatives and Senators have attended. This meeting successfully acts as a vehicle of communication between the Bar and our State Legislators.

As a member of the Bar Association of Norfolk County you may also join the Referral Service. Dues for the Referral Service are $100.00 after the initial Bar Association membership dues of $75.00 per calendar year. Last year over 1,000. telephone calls were made to the Referral Service requesting attorney services. Once the telephone call is received a referral by our office is made to a member of the Referral Service Panel in the area of law requested by the caller. These calls are made on a geographic and rotational basis. If you are interested in becoming a member of the Referral Service watch for our notices which will be mailed out in early October, 2010. Information regarding our Referral Service Panel will be included along with your Membership Notice. Thank you and we look forward to hearing from you.

Funded by the Massachusetts Bar Foundation, the Bar Foundation Evening Legal Clinics are sponsored monthly, usually the first Tuesday of each month, free of charge to the members of the community at a courthouse in Norfolk County from the hours of 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Attorneys agree to participate on a pro bono basis by assisting the client on a one-on-one consultation. The public outreach is through newspaper advertising, radio and television advertisments, public service announcements, as well as notices posted in community service organizations. Last year over 600 people were assisted at the Evening Clinics. The Bar Association of Norfolk County is a non-profit charitable organization. We strive to increase community awareness of the need for legal services and the other programs available to them. We hope to educate the consumer by attempting to alleviate or de-mystify any fear or misunderstanding they may have regarding the judicial process. A staff member is available for further resources.

A partnership has been established with the Quincy Schools, and soon to include other public schools in the County. Various legal topics are discussed and delivered to the students by attorneys willing to participate in the program. This may include specific legal topics, and/or Mock Trial presentations where the student body actively participates, usually followed by a question and answer period.

The Bar Association of Norfolk County will offer the use of their Conference Room to be utilized by any attorney member by telephoning our office and scheduling a time and date.

A mentor panel includes attorneys willing to act as Mentors to new attorneys beginning their law practice, but is open to other attorneys seeking further legal assistance.

The observance of Law Day which is held annually at Superior Court, Dedham, Mass is usually held on the first Monday of May. Through our Law Day Program we strive to expand people's awareness of our heritage and liberty under the law and help them appreciate how we strive to assure equal justice for all. The Law Day theme allows us to examine the equality of justice through perspectives of both the legal profession and the public it serves. It includes efforts by the bench and the bar to promote equality of justice, and so encourages the participation of both lawyers and the judiciary. The Bar Association of Norfolk County has held over 47 Law Day celebrations. Speakers and awards are presented at the ceremony. All are invited to attend the ceremony as well as the reception which follows the Law Day ceremony.

Each year the Bar Association holds 3 council meetings and general meetings which includes the Annual Legislative Breakfast Meeting.

Our Officers for 2010/2011

Attorney Stephen Colman, President
Attorney Marybeth Hopkins, President-Elect
Attorney Patrick M. McDermott, Vice-President
Attorney Richard J. Sweeney, Secretary
Attorney Joseph P. Hurley III, Treasurer
Adrienne C. Clarke, Executive Director

The Bar Association of Norfolk County delivers services to clients on an individual non-discriminatory manner without regard to the clients race, sex, age, ethnicity, religion, sexual preference, or national orgin. The Bar Association continues to serve a racially diverse low income population.

For further information regarding membership in the Bar Association of Norfolk County please call Adrienne Clarke, Executive Director at 617-471-9693. (Norfolkcountybar@aol.com)

The Norfolk Law Library, along with the other seventeen Trial Court Law Libraries, is now offering 24/7 access to the Loislaw and Hein Online databases from your home or office computer. There is no charge for either database. All you need to do is come into your closest Trial Court Library with a picture ID and get a library card. Using Loislaw you can search cases, statutes, and regulations from all 50 state and federal jurisdictions, as well as access the full text of MCLE books. Hein Online gives you access to a searchable database of over 1700 full text law journals. Together these databases offer a wealth of information at your finger tips day and night.

For more information on these new services, link to the Trial Court Law Libraries website, http://www.lawlib.state.ma.us/ , or call the Norfolk Law Library at 781-769-7483