| Adopted Date: | 09/25/2025 |
|---|---|
| Effective Date: | 08/01/2026 |
| Updates: | Amended September 25, 2025 and effective August 1, 2026 |
- This page, Section 5.1: Supervising attorney responsibilities (Effective August 1, 2026), is offered by
- Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
- Trial Court Law Libraries
- Massachusetts Court System
Future Effective Date
Supreme Judicial Court Rules
SJC Rule 3:03, Section 5: Responsibilities
Supreme Judicial Court Rules Section 5.1: Supervising attorney responsibilities (Effective August 1, 2026)
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Table of Contents
Rule 5.1
Student practitioners must be supervised by an attorney affiliated with a law school clinical program, Commonwealth entity, organization providing civil legal aid or criminal defense to indigent persons, or law firm providing pro bono civil legal aid or criminal defense to indigent persons. A person serving as a supervising attorney must:
- (a) ensure that the student practitioner is sufficiently prepared and competent to appear and is familiar with the rules, standing orders, and regulations of the court or forum in which the student practitioner will appear; and
- (b) review and sign all pleadings, motions, and memoranda before they are submitted by a student practitioner.
Failure of an attorney to supervise and provide proper training to a student practitioner may be grounds for disciplinary action or revoking or restricting that attorney's ability to serve as a supervising attorney.
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Contact
Online
Email a reference librarian:
Email Trial Court Law Libraries at lawlibraries@jud.state.ma.us
| Updates: | Amended September 25, 2025 and effective August 1, 2026 |
|---|