BBO Seeking Hearing Committee Members

The Board of Bar Overseers is encouraging interested attorneys and other members of the public across the Commonwealth to apply for appointment to a three-year term as a volunteer Hearing Committee member. Hearing Committees sit locally in panels of three as fact- finding tribunals in disciplinary proceedings brought against individual attorneys by the Office of Bar Counsel. The Committees hear testimony, take evidence, make adjudicatory rulings, and prepare a written report and recommendation for the Board of Bar Overseers. 

Committee members receive no monetary compensation and devote their time as a public service in the vital interest of preserving the integrity of the legal profession. There are about one hundred forty Committee members, and the Board is seeking to fill vacancies across the Commonwealth. 

The Board seeks to maintain a broad-based representation of attorneys and members of the public within the Committee ranks, and strongly encourages applications from women, minorities, small-firm practitioners and individuals in public service. Résumés of interested attorneys (with at least ten or more years of professional experience) and members of the public (excluding paralegals and those employed in a legal-related field) should be sent to Sandra Mahabir, by mail at: Board of Bar Overseers, 99 High Street, Boston, MA 02110, or e-mail at: s.mahabir@massbbo.org on or before October 31, 2015. Members of the public are also requested to complete an application form available on our website at http://www.mass.gov/obcbbo/volunt.htm.