Press Release  Massachusetts Access to Justice Commission Announces New Commission Member and Release of Annual Report

BOSTON, MA — The Massachusetts Access to Justice Commission today announced the appointment of Gordon Shaw as a new member and the release of the Commission's 2022-2023 Annual Report.

First established by the Supreme Judicial Court in 2005, the Access to Justice Commission seeks to improve access to justice for people who are unable to afford an attorney for essential civil legal needs, such as cases involving housing, consumer debt, and family law.

"We are pleased to welcome Gordon Shaw, Director of Client Access at Community Legal Aid, to the Commission," said Supreme Judicial Court Justice Serge Georges, Jr., co-chair of the Commission. “Attorney Shaw has been involved in the Commission for many years, including being part of the Justice for All Strategic Planning Process in 2017, Co-Chair of the Ecosystem Committee, a member of the COVID-19 leadership team, and now a Co-Chair of the newly formed Standing Technology and Data Advisory Committee. He has also served as a member of the Supreme Judicial Court Standing Committee on Pro Bono Legal Services and is a long-time leader in the access to justice community.”

Prior to Community Legal Aid, Attorney Shaw worked for the Massachusetts Justice Project in several roles, including Executive Director, served as a judicial law clerk to the Massachusetts Superior Court, and worked in private practice. In addition to his Commission and Pro Bono Committee activities, Attorney Shaw served as co-chair for Hampshire County Reinventing Justice, a task force charged with examining how to make the justice system more accessible.

Among other activities, the Access to Justice Commission coordinates with civil legal aid organizations to support their activities and develop new initiatives to address unmet needs. The Commission also works to increase the number of attorneys able to provide pro bono or limited assistance civil legal services and coordinates with the court system on initiatives that assist individuals to better understand and navigate civil legal proceedings. The Commission's members include representatives from the court system, legal aid organizations, social service organizations, bar associations, law schools, businesses, and other stakeholders in the access to justice community.

More information about the Commission and its activities is available in its Annual Report for 2022-2023.

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