Online Training for Attorneys Representing Survivors of Domestic Violence
The Massachusetts Law Reform Institute (MLRI) and the Massachusetts Legal Aid Websites Project are pleased to share the two new online training courses for attorneys interested in helping survivors of domestic abuse. Attorneys can start and stop at any point and come back to review the course at any time.
209A Abuse Prevent Orders: An Overview for Attorney
This one hour course follows the restraining order process from the beginning to the end, and includes links to key forms and relevant court rules. Throughout the course, users are given a series of “knowledge checks” to apply what they have learned. Click here to view the course.
Building Effective Attorney Client Relationships with Survivors of Domestic Abuse
This 30 minute course will offer you important context about domestic abuse, how it might affect survivors' interactions with you and the courts, and provide you with the techniques and strategies to build an effective relationship with your client. Click here to view the course.
Get Involved!
Visit https://massprobono.org/opportunities/ to learn about opporutnities to provide pro bono services to survivors of domestic violence. You can select "Domestic Violence Victims" from the Working With filter to limit the results. You can also filter by county to find a program that is near you.
Helpful Resources:
- 209A Forms
- Massachusetts Law About Domestic Violence
- Guidelines for Judicial Practice: Abuse Prevention Proceedings
- MassLegalHelp: Domestic Violence Section
- National Association for Court Management Plain Language Guide
- Sample Memos Regarding Challenging Issues in 209A Cases
- Resources If You Are Being Abused
- Trauma Informed Lawyering During COVID-19
Acknowledgements
The series was developed by a team at MLRI, with support from domestic violence experts from Community Legal Aid, De Novo Center for Justice and Healing, Foley Hoag LLP, Greater Boston Legal Services, MetroWest Legal Services, Northeast Legal Aid, South Coastal Counties Legal Services, the Women’s Bar Foundation, and ThinkingKap, an online curriculum developer. It was developed as part of the Civil Legal Aid for Victims of Crime (CLAVC) initiative, a statewide program funded by the Massachusetts Office for Victims Assistance. CLAVC attorneys help victims of crime throughout Massachusetts with their related legal needs, including obtaining 209A restraining orders. The CLAVC Initiative is supported by the Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance through a Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (VOCA) grant from the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice.