Press Release  Supreme Judicial Court Appoints New Co-Chairs For Massachusetts Access to Justice Commission

BOSTON, MA — The Supreme Judicial Court today announced the appointment of three new co-chairs to lead the Massachusetts Access to Justice Commission: the Honorable Serge Georges, Jr., Associate Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court; Marijane Benner Browne, Esq.; and Laura W. Gal, Esq. They will take office on June 30, 2021, succeeding current co-chair Susan M. Finegan, Esq., and the late Honorable Ralph D. Gants, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court, who served as co-chair of the Commission until his death last September.

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

“I would like to thank Justice Georges, Attorney Browne, and Attorney Gal for their willingness to take on these important leadership roles for the Commission,” said Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Kimberly S. Budd. “I am confident that they will continue the Commission’s vibrant tradition of creative, collaborative problem-solving. And I would also like to thank Attorney Finegan for her extraordinary service to the Commission as a member since 2011 and as co-chair since 2015, and especially for her fortitude in guiding the Commission’s crucial work through all the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the passing of Chief Justice Gants during the past year.”

“During these difficult times supporting access to justice for everyone in the Commonwealth has never been more essential,” added current co-chair Susan Finegan. “The Commission is so fortunate that Justice Georges, Attorney Browne, and Attorney Gal will be carrying on our critical efforts to address the many access to justice issues that we are facing. The Commission will benefit from their collective wisdom and experience and will continue to thrive under their leadership.”

The Honorable Serge Georges, Jr., was appointed to the Supreme Judicial Court by Governor Charlie Baker in December 2020 after serving seven years as an Associate Justice of the Boston Municipal Court. Before his appointment to the bench, he had a diverse private practice focused on commercial litigation and criminal defense practice in state and federal courts. He also teaches at Suffolk University Law School and the University of Massachusetts School of Law. Justice Georges is a graduate of Boston College and Suffolk University Law School.

Marijane Benner Browne, Esq., is Director of Lateral Partner Recruiting at Ropes & Gray LLP. Attorney Browne has been a member of the Commission since 2012, serving as co-chair of its Revenue Enhancement Committee. She has also served as a member and chair of the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation; as a trustee of Bowdoin College; and as Vice Chair of the Boston Law Firm Group, a consortium of Boston-area legal employers dedicated to the recruitment, retention and advancement of attorneys of color. She is a graduate of Bowdoin College and Harvard Law School.

Laura W. Gal, Esq., is the Managing Attorney of the Family Law Unit at Greater Boston Legal Services and has previously held positions as Supervisory Attorney for Family Law at Northeast Legal Aid and as a staff attorney at Community Legal Aid. She served the Commission as its part-time consultant from September 2017 through June 2019. Since her appointment as a Commissioner in September 2019, she has also served as co-chair of the Commission’s Family Law Committee, and as a member of the Executive Committee. She is a graduate of Dartmouth College and the George Washington University National Law Center.

Justice Georges and Attorney Browne will both be serving three-year terms, while Attorney Gal will be serving a special one-year term to assist with the Commission’s leadership transition.

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 in understanding and navigating 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.

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