Sen. Eldridge Receives Beacon of Justice Hall of Fame Award From the Equal Justice Coalition
Awarded for recognition of long-time advocacy for civil legal aid
BOSTON — On October 26, 2023, State Senator Jamie Eldridge (D-Marlborough) received the Beacon of Justice Hall of Fame Award from the Equal Justice Coalition. The Hall of Fame award was granted to the Senator in recognition of his long-standing advocacy in favor of civil legal aid — specifically through his support for funding the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation in recent budget negotiations.
The Equal Justice Coalition (EJC) is a broad coalition — from bar associations to law firms to legal aid associations — which advocates for expanded access to civil legal aid for low-income residents in the Commonwealth. The Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation (MLAC) is the largest funder for the Commonwealth’s civil legal aid organizations — which provide free legal representation, guidance, and resources for people with low-incomes who are facing civil legal issues. In wake of rising demand for civil legal aid from organizations funded by MLAC, the Commonwealth’s FY24 budget appropriates $49 million for MLAC, an $8 million increase from the FY23 budget allocation.
The EJC gave four Beacon of Justice awards to legislators who played a major role in this achievement, and gave three Beacon of Justice Hall of Fame awards to legislators — including State Sen. Jamie Eldridge (D-Marlborough) — who previously received the Beacon of Justice award and have continued advocating for civil legal aid. Senator Eldridge is currently serving his third term as the Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Judiciary, during which time he has not only successfully advocated for significant increases for civil legal aid, but also for the Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee, Prisoners Legal Services, the Fair Housing Center, and Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPSC). Before being elected to the Legislature in 2002, Senator Eldridge worked as a Legal Aid lawyer for the then-Merrimack Valley Legal Services, which is now part of Northeast Legal Aid.
“I’m honored to receive the Beacon of Justice Hall of Fame Award from the Equal Justice Coalition,” said State Sen. Jamie Eldridge (D-Marlborough). “The Equal Justice Coalition is vital in advocating for expanded civil legal aid access, and I look forward to working with them to build off the good progress made in the FY24 budget.”
For more information about the Equal Justice Coalition, click here. For more information about the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation, click here.
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