Press Release  Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council Welcomes Richard (Rick) Glassman as Legal Disability Policy Analyst

Quincy, Mass. — The MDDC is pleased to announce that Richard (Rick) Glassman has joined our Public Policy Team as a Legal Disability Policy Analyst. In this role, he will be responsible for conducting policy analysis and making recommendations on a broad range of policy issues to support Council membership education and awareness activities and implementing related Council State Plan objectives.

Rick is a public interest and disability rights attorney with over forty-one years of practice experience. He retired as the director of advocacy at the Disability Law Center (DLC) in Boston in January 2025 and has continued to work on pro bono matters with disability rights organizations, mostly related to including legislative and policy issues. He is particularly interested in the rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, especially related to community integration, personal autonomy and independence; the right to meaningful residential, employment, and day services and support; and the prevention and investigation of abuse and neglect.

His work at DLC also included major projects related to accessible and affordable housing; public accommodations; assistive technology; rights of prisoners with disabilities; and restraint and seclusion in schools, among other issues. At DLC, in addition to litigation in both individual and systemic cases, he helped lead investigations of abuse and neglect, monitoring of facilities, public policy and administrative advocacy, and community and professional trainings.

Previously, he worked as litigation director at DLC; as managing attorney of the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau at Harvard Law School; and as a staff attorney at Western Massachusetts Legal Services. Rick is a graduate of Northeastern University School of Law and Colgate University and holds a certificate in management and leadership from Harvard University.

“Rick is an authority on much of the legal and legislative work the Council works on. Rick will be a key team member to our program and policy team. Rick has a demonstrated commitment to the work of the Council and will be a knowledgeable resource for our team.” said Craig Hall, Executive Director.

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