MLRI’s advocacy goals in family law and domestic violence are to protect domestic violence survivors and their children when they must interact with the court system and state agencies, and to provide expertise and support to legal aid attorneys, allied family law practitioners, and advocates who work with domestic violence survivors.
As the lead advocate of the Domestic Violence Legal Assistance Program (DVLAP, a special project of the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation), MLRI coordinates statewide family law advocacy and provides support for legal aid programs and community collaborators throughout the state.
Through the statewide Family Law Task Force, MLRI:
- Leads and supports legislative advocacy that protects domestic violence survivors and their children
- Organizes and participates in amicus briefs addressing family law issues and domestic violence concerns
- Works with the courts and state agencies with whom our clients and attorneys interact
- Increases the knowledge and skills of legal aid and allied family law attorneys through trainings, provision of materials, and updating the family law section of www.masslegalservices.org
- Provides forums, both in-person and on-line, that allow legal aid and allied family law attorneys to share and seek information (including practice tips, questions on procedure, requests for referrals and services, and other information)
