The Justices of the Supreme Judicial Court recently announced the reappointment of six members to the Massachusetts Access to Justice Commission for three-year terms, expiring on July 1, 2009. They previously served one-year terms.

          Reappointed as chair is former Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Herbert P. Wilkins. The other reappointments are Housing Court Judge Dina E. Fein and Attorneys Young Soo Jo, Robert W. Lavoie, Paula J. Toland, and Toni G. Wolfman.

          Created by the Court in 2005, the Commission provides leadership, vision, coordination, and continuity to the many organizations and interests involved in assuring access to civil justice for low-income families and individuals in the state. It is the successor organization to the Massachusetts State Planning Board for Civil Legal Services. Members represent the judiciary, bar associations, legal services programs and clients, and social service agencies.

          Chief Justice Wilkins, who was chair of the Massachusetts State Planning Board for Civil Legal Services, is a Visiting Professor at Boston College Law School. He served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court from 1996 to 1999, and as an Associate Justice for twenty-four years.

          Appointed to the bench in 1999, Judge Dina E. Fein is an Associate Justice in the Western Division of the Housing Court in Springfield. She was a member of the Massachusetts State Planning Board for Civil Legal Services.

          Young Soo Jo, of Westborough, is a staff attorney for the Legal Assistance Corporation of Central Massachusetts, and specializes in disability issues and government benefits.

          Robert W. Lavoie is a real estate attorney with the Andover law firm of Devine, Millimet & Branch, P.A. He also serves as chair of the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission.

          Paula J. Toland, of Swansea, is a clinical consultant for the Families Together Program of the Providence Children’s Museum.

          Toni G. Wolfman, of Cambridge, is Executive in Residence at Bentley College’s Women’s Leadership Institute. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law of the Boston Bar Association