MWLS Board of Directors

Katherine Garrahan, Esq., President Stephen M. Richmond, Esq., Vice President Carolyn Flammey, Treasurer

Adam Slutsky, Esq., Clerk

Deepika Bhayana, Esq. Richard C. Biller, Esq. Colleen Cunnally, Esq.

Michael J. Heineman, Esq. Marcus Hughes, Esq.

Jack K. Merrill, Esq. Stephanie Molina, Esq. Paula A. Nedder, Esq.

Paula Silver, Marlborough Nicole Zani, Natick

MWLS Dedicated Staff

Elizabeth A Soulé, Executive Director

Mary Kiely, Finance Director Stephen J. Matthews,

Advocacy Director Ileana Matamoros, Intake Supervisor

Jennifer E. Ollington, Supervising Attorney

Rebecca Deans-Rowe, Development Manager Kathryn Condon Grace,

Medical-Legal Partnership (General Practice)

Daniel B. Daley, Housing Meagan Daly, AmeriCorps-

PBI Elizabeth Firestone,

Immigration

Nana Boateng,Americorp-Housing

Lisabeth Jorgensen, MOVA Nailze R. Lima, Support Staff Emmylou Manwill, Domestic

Violence/Family LawEliana Matos,

Americorps-Immigration Vera Ochea, Elder Law

Romina Ortiz, Support Staff Cheryl A. Palmieri,

PBI Coordinator Abbigail W. Shirk,

Family/Immigration Joseph Sherman, Benefits

Alissa Weinberger, Immigration/Family Law

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Program

• Comedian and Master of Ceremonies: Jimmy Tingle• Musical Guests: Deborah Henson-Conant and Danielle Ponder• Pro Bono Service Awards: Executive Director Betsy Soule and

Awardees• Special Video Appearances: Senator Elizabeth Warren, Senator

Edward Markey, Attorney General Maura Healey, RepresentativeKatherine Clark, Representative Joe Kennedy III, and State SenatePresident Karen Spilka

• Screening of Success Story: “Jenna” and Remarks from SteveKerrigan, CEO of the Edward M. Kennedy Community HealthCenter and MWLS MLP Attorney Katie Condon Grace

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Alfred C. Phillips Pro Bono Service Award Presented to

John Desmond, Esq. Alfred C. Phillips was a longtime volunteer of MetroWest Legal Services. His commitment to helping MWLS’ clients and ensuring access to justice went above and beyond the norm for most volunteers. For close to 10 years, Attorney Phillips, a retired attorney who worked at Raytheon for nearly 40 years, averaged almost 20 hours

a week at MWLS assisting clients with bankruptcy petitions. We are pleased to honor Attorney Phillips with an award in his name.

Attorney John Desmond has been selected as the 2020 recipient of the Alfred C. Phillips Pro Bono Service Award. MetroWest Legal Services established this award to honor the truly exceptional work of a member of its pro bono panel or a corporate partner that exemplifies Attorney Phillips’ dedication and commitment to civil legal aid.

John Desmond has been practicing bankruptcy law in Framingham for over 30 years. Attorney Desmond is a graduate of the University of Alabama and New England Law. After graduating law school, he joined his father George Desmond’s practice representing clients in all manners of bankruptcy and foreclosure prevention work. Attorney Desmond became a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Trustee for the US Bankruptcy Court in Boston in 1990. He joined the MWLS pro bono panel in 1993 taking cases for low-income debtors. He has also been a trainer at the annual Bankruptcy Basics training for new pro bono attorneys and acts as a mentor for those newer to the practice.

It is my pleasure to present the 2020 Alfred C. Phillips Pro Bono Service Award to Attorney John Desmond.

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Bancroft R. Wheeler Pro Bono Service Award Presented to

James Lukowiak, Esq. Bancroft “Bats” Wheeler began his volunteer work at MWLS as an Access to Justice Fellow in 2013. When the Fellowship ended, Bancroft, who preferred to be called Bats by his friends and colleagues, continued to volunteer at MWLS for the next 5 years. Bats, a retired trust and estates attorney at Nutter, McClellan & Fish, dedicated 10-15 hours

a week drafting wills, health care proxies and powers of attorney for MWLS’ clients. Bats quickly discovered that many of MWLS’ elder and disabled clients were homebound and unable to meet with him and take advantage of his services. To remedy the issue, Bats started making home visits for those clients who could not make it to the office. The program is now affectionately named Wills on Wheels after Bats’ novel approach to helping his clients.

MWLS has established the Bancroft R. Wheeler Pro Bono Service Award to honor a member of it pro bono panel, a firm or corporation that exemplifies the dedication that Bats Wheeler exhibited in ensuring access to legal services for all MWLS clients.

This years’ recipient of the Bancroft R. Wheeler Pro Bono Service Award is Attorney James Lukowiak.

Jim Lukowiak has been a practicing law in Framingham for the past 21 years. He is a graduate of Merrimack College and New England Law. Attorney Lukowiak interned at MWLS in the late 1990’s and returned to join the pro bono panel in 2007 where he represented clients in bankruptcy matters. When he added family law to his portfolio, he expanded to represent clients in divorce matters. Attorney Lukowiak takes cases, staffs the Lawyer for the Day at the Marlboro Satellite session of the Middlesex Probate and Family Court, and serves as a trainer at the annual MWLS Divorce Law Basics training series. At last count, Attorney Lukowiak has handled 51 cases for MWLS clients.

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Jimmy Tingle!

HUMOR FOR HUMANITY

Clean • Funny Topical • Comedian• Auctioneer

• Master of CeremoniesFundraisers

Private Parties Corporate Events

JimmyTingle.com 617-441-0522

Jimmy Tingle is a comedian, commentator and was a 2018 candidate for Lt Governor of Massachusetts. He is the founder of a new social enterprise “Humor for Humanity” which aspires to raise spirits, funds and awareness for nonprofits, charities and social causes. He has worked as a humorist and commentator for 60 Minutes II and MSNBC and has appeared on The Tonight Show, CNN, Conan O’Brien, Fresh Air with Terry Gross and in his own HBO half- hour comedy special. He recently had a cameo appearance with Julia Louis-Dreyfus in the first episode of the last season of Veep on HBO. Feature film work includes Next Stop Wonderland, Boondock Saints, Head of State starring Chris Rock and Clear History starring Larry David.

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MUSICAL GUESTS

Danielle Ponder

Danielle Ponder transcends musical genres with a blast of deep, powerful soul. This Rochester, NY, native has spent years rendering goose bumps by perfecting her style and charismatic performance. The result of her focus and dedication is a tone that is both enchanting and seductive along with a riveting, honest stage presence. It is this voice that has helped her secure gigs opening up for George Clinton, Ledisi and The Roots. Danielle consistently sells out her shows in her hometown and she has completed three European tours. Boyd Kletter of Bourbon Street Blues Club in Amsterdam said "Danielle shines bright both on and off the stage. She's truly is a star!" Danielle is also an attorney and activist. She was appointed recently to the a new position – Special Assistant Public Defender, Diversity and Inclusion Officer, for the county Public Defender’s Office. At Northeastern University, where she received her Juris Doctorate, Danielle was awarded the prestigious Public Interest Law scholarship.

Deborah Henson-Conant

Deborah Henson-Conant (“DHC”) considers herself an ambassador to the world of music and imagination. She’s a GRAMMY®-Nominated recording artist and the world’s premier electric harpist. She’s known for her high energy shows, evocative singing and multi-layer looping, her fusion of music and theater – and for transforming the classical harp into a “Body Harp” by shrinking it down, strapping it on and plugging it in. Her music combines Blues, Latin, Folk, Classical and Musical Theater. She creates one-woman shows, solo concerts – and also arranges and performs her work with symphony orchestra. She’s opened for Ray Charles at Tanglewood, toured as the Boston Pops’ featured soloist and jammed onstage with guitar legends from Steve Vai to Mason Williams. She’s been called the “Jimi Hendrix of the harp” (Steve Vai), “a cross between Leonard Bernstein and Xena, Warrior Princess” (Boston Globe). The front rows of her shows are often filled with parents who bring their children to see what it means to passionately follow your own creative path.

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KSR LAW

ATTORNEYS AT LAW

BOWDITCH ATTORNEYS

PROUD TO SUPPORT

JAZZ & JOKES FOR JUSTICE

KSRLaw

160 Gould Street

Needham, MA 02494

t 781,418,5100

e info@ksrlawfirm.com

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Right there with you.

Giving back to our local community.

Learn more about truly local banking, visit middlesexbank.com

MEMBER FDIC MEMBER DIF

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Mo knows community

banking!

Special Thanks

• Senator ElizabethWarren

• Senator Edward Markey• Attorney General Maura

Healey• Rep. Katherine Clark• Rep. Joe Kennedy III• State Senate President

Karen Spilka• Steve Kerrigan• Dan Frank• "Jenna" and Family• Cyle Hairston-Gomes• Holly Sullivan• Josue Martinez• Lucas Bermudez

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community Mo knows

banking!

Good Bank. Good Neighbor. Framingham One Lincoln Street • 828 Concord Street

Natick 49 Main Street (508) 820-4000

MutualOne.com

Member FDIC/SIF

Jitterbug Sponsors AAFCPA

Marijane Benner Browne and Chris Browne Kate and Nima Eshghi

Petrini Law Sugarman Rogers

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Metro West Legal Services Pro Bono Initiative

Volunteer Today

to Bridge

the Justice

Gap For more information, contact Cheryl Palmieri, Pro Bono Coordinator,

at cpalmieri@mwlegal.org.

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MetroWest Legal Services: 40 Plus Years Strong

For the past 40 years, MetroWest Legal Services has helped tens of thousands of low-income clients with their civil legal problems. The agency started with five attorneys and helped clients in 12 towns with benefits, housing and domestic relations issues. Our service area has grown to 45 towns and our staff has increased to 22 employees and 15 of whom are full-time attorneys.

In addition to our original priorities we have added: education, assistance to victims of domestic abuse, senior citizens, immigration assistance, health advocacy, and an active pro bono program. Today, we give approximately 50 outreach presentations and 100 clinics a year. Helping our clients understand and protect their rights is the first step toward achieving economic independence.

With over 45,000 people living in our service area considered impoverished, the demand for our services continues to grow. We turn away eligible clients every day because we simply do not have enough attorneys to take on another case.

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SAVE THE DATE THE 23RD ANNUAL

NANCY KING MEMORIAL GOLF TOURNAMENT CHARTER OAK COUNTRY CLUB

J U N E 1 4 , 2 0 2 1 | M O N D A Y

W W W . M W L E G A L . O R G

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